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A China's judicial body has condemned five leading figures of a well-known Myanmar mafia to execution as Chinese authorities continues its crackdown on scam networks in Southeast Asian region.

Altogether, twenty-one clan figures and partners were convicted of fraud, murder, injury and additional crimes, stated a official announcement released on the court website.

This clan is one of a few of mafias that gained influence in the early 2000s and converted the poor isolated region of Laukkaing into a wealthy base of casinos and red-light districts.

Over the past few years they shifted to scams in which thousands of trafficked people, a large number of them Chinese, are ensnared, mistreated and forced to scam targets in unlawful operations estimated at billions.

Specifics of the Judgment

Syndicate boss Bai Suocheng and his heir Bai Yingcang were among the group of figures sentenced to death by the judicial body. Another individual, Hu Xiaojiang and Chen Guangyi were the other three sentenced.

Two members of the clan syndicate were received suspended death sentences. Five were given to life in prison, while additional individuals were given prison sentences ranging from a period of 3-20 years.

The clan, who commanded their own private army, established forty-one facilities to house their digital scam schemes and gambling houses, officials reported.

Scale of Unlawful Schemes

These criminal enterprises entailed exceeding twenty-nine billion Chinese yuan (over four billion dollars; over three billion pounds). They also caused the fatalities of six from China nationals, the suicide of an individual and numerous injuries, reports stated.

The severe sentences issued by the judicial body are part of China's campaign to remove the vast fraud operations in Southeast Asia - and issue a strong signal to further illegal organizations.

Context of the Groups

These groups became dominant in the 2000s with the assistance of Min Aung Hlaing - who is in charge of Myanmar's junta. The leader had wanted to prop up allies in Laukkaing after removing its earlier leader.

Within the groups, the Bais were "absolutely number one", Bai Yingcang previously told state media.

Back then, we was the most powerful in both the political and armed spheres," he said in a report about the clan, broadcast on official channels in July.

During the documentary, a worker at their illegal operations narrated the harm he had experienced at the location: besides being assaulted, he had his fingernails extracted with tools and two of his fingers cut off with a blade.

More Allegations

Bai Yingcang is among those who were given to death this week. He has also been separately sentenced of planning to trade and make 11 tonnes of methamphetamine, official sources reported.

End of the Clans

Their end occurred in recent times as circumstances changed.

Over a long period Beijing has encouraged the local government to rein in scam operations in the area.

Recently, the authorities issued legal actions for the most prominent individuals of such families.

The patriarch, the Bai family's patriarch, was among the warlords who were extradited to Beijing from the country in the beginning of the year.

For what reason is the state making such extensive work to pursue the groups?" a Chinese investigator said in the July film.

The purpose is to caution groups, regardless of who you are, where you are, if you carry out such heinous offenses affecting the Chinese people, you will face consequences."