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A Chinese court has condemned five prominent members of a well-known Burmese mafia to death as Chinese authorities continues its crackdown on scam operations in the region.

Overall, twenty-one clan individuals and collaborators were sentenced of scams, murder, assault and various crimes, reported a state media document posted on the court portal.

This clan is one of a handful of organized crime groups that rose to power in the early 2000s and transformed the impoverished remote area of the town into a profitable base of casinos and entertainment zones.

Over the past few years they pivoted to illegal operations in which many of smuggled individuals, a large number of them from China, are trapped, mistreated and obligated to defraud victims in illegal activities valued at billions of dollars.

Specifics of the Judgment

Syndicate head the patriarch and his offspring Bai Yingcang were included in the group of figures sentenced to execution by the court in Shenzhen. Another individual, A third figure and A fourth person were the additional punished.

Two members of the Bai family syndicate were received suspended death sentences. Five were condemned to permanent incarceration, while more figures were received prison terms ranging from three to 20 years.

The Bais, who commanded their own armed group, established 41 compounds to host their digital scam activities and casinos, officials stated.

Magnitude of Illegal Activities

Such criminal activities involved over 29 billion local currency ($4.1bn; £3.1bn). These activities also resulted in the fatalities of several Chinese citizens, the self-inflicted death of one and several injuries, reports announced.

The harsh sentences handed down by the court are part of China's effort to eradicate the large fraud operations in Southeast Asia - and send a firm warning to further illegal syndicates.

Background of the Families

Such clans gained influence in the recent decades with the assistance of a military leader - who now leads Myanmar's junta. The leader had aimed to prop up allies in Laukkaing after removing its earlier leader.

Among the families, the Bais were "the most powerful", Bai Yingcang before informed state media.

"At that time, the clan was the most powerful in both the government and armed spheres," he stated in a film about the clan, aired on Chinese state media in July.

During the documentary, a worker at one of illegal operations described the mistreatment he had suffered there: in addition to being hit, he had his fingernails removed with instruments and two of his digits amputated with a blade.

More Charges

The son is included in those who were sentenced to execution this week. He has additionally been independently found guilty of conspiring to traffic and manufacture 11 tonnes of narcotics, official sources reported.

Decline of the Families

Their end happened in recent times as situations changed.

Over a long period Beijing has urged the Myanmar junta to limit scam operations in Laukkaing.

Last year, the authorities issued detention orders for the key figures of these families.

Bai Suocheng, the clan's patriarch, was included in the warlords who were transferred to Beijing from Myanmar in the beginning of the year.

"Why is the authorities putting significant resources to go after the four families?" a Chinese investigator stated in the summer documentary.

"It's to warn groups, no matter your position, where you are, as long as you engage in these heinous crimes targeting the Chinese people, you will be held accountable."