China executed 11 people on Thursday who were linked to criminal gangs operating fraud compounds in Myanmar, state media reported. The executions mark the latest move in Beijing’s intensified effort to combat transnational scam networks that have targeted victims worldwide, particularly through online romance and cryptocurrency frauds.

The individuals were sentenced to death in September by a court in Wenzhou, eastern China, and the sentences were approved by the Supreme People’s Court. Crimes included intentional homicide, intentional injury, unlawful detention, fraud, and running illegal casinos. The executed included “key members” of the Ming family criminal group, whose operations contributed to 14 deaths and numerous injuries among Chinese nationals.

Fraud compounds in Southeast Asia, particularly in Myanmar’s lawless borderlands, have flourished in recent years. These operations initially targeted Chinese speakers but expanded to multiple languages, defrauding global victims. Some workers in these compounds are trafficked foreign nationals forced to participate in scams, while others are willing participants.

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Beijing has increased regional cooperation to tackle these networks, repatriating thousands of suspects to face trial under China’s opaque justice system. In addition to the 11 executed, September rulings included five death sentences with two-year reprieves and 23 prison sentences ranging from five years to life.

The crackdown follows a pattern of aggressive enforcement, including November executions of five individuals involved in scams in Myanmar’s Kokang region, which resulted in the deaths of six Chinese citizens. China continues to closely monitor the syndicates, many of which collaborate with Myanmar militias to operate scam centers.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has warned that these fraud networks are proliferating globally, spreading to South America, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and the Pacific Islands. Hundreds of thousands of individuals are estimated to be involved in scam operations worldwide, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing international authorities.

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