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A China's court has sentenced several prominent members of a notorious Myanmar organized crime group to capital punishment as Chinese authorities continues its crackdown on scam activities in South East Asia.

Altogether, 21 Bai family members and associates were found guilty of scams, murder, assault and additional crimes, reported a state media announcement posted on the court portal.

The group is among a small number of mafias that gained influence in the early 2000s and converted the impoverished backwater town of Laukkaing into a wealthy hub of gambling establishments and red-light districts.

Over the past few years they shifted to fraudulent schemes in which thousands of illegally moved workers, several of them from China, are trapped, abused and obligated to cheat victims in illegal enterprises valued at billions.

Details of the Verdict

Mafia leader Bai Suocheng and his heir the younger Bai were included in the five figures sentenced to execution by the judicial body. Yang Liqiang, Hu Xiaojiang and A fourth person were the remaining convicted.

A couple of figures of the clan mafia were received delayed executions. Several were sentenced to permanent incarceration, while additional individuals were received jail sentences ranging from three to 20 years.

This family, who controlled their own armed group, set up 41 facilities to host their online fraud schemes and betting establishments, authorities said.

Scale of Criminal Operations

These criminal activities involved exceeding 29 billion local currency ($4.1 billion; over three billion pounds). They also led to the deaths of several Chinese citizens, the suicide of one and numerous assaults, official sources reported.

The severe punishments delivered by the court are a component of China's initiative to remove the large fraud networks in the region - and send a firm warning to additional unlawful groups.

Context of the Clans

Such groups gained influence in the early 2000s with the assistance of a military leader - who currently heads Myanmar's regime. The leader had intended to bolster allies in the town after ousting its former warlord.

Among the groups, the this family were "the most powerful", Bai Yingcang earlier informed official sources.

Back then, our Bai family was the leading in both the government and armed spheres," the individual stated in a documentary about the clan, broadcast on national media in July.

Within that film, a employee at their their scam centres recalled the abuse he had endured there: besides being hit, he had his fingernails extracted with pliers and a couple of his digits amputated with a blade.

Further Allegations

The son is included in those who were given to death this week. The individual has additionally been separately found guilty of conspiring to smuggle and produce 11 tonnes of methamphetamine, state media announced.

End of the Groups

The families' end happened in last year as political winds altered.

Previously Chinese authorities has pressed the regime to limit fraudulent operations in Laukkaing.

Last year, the law enforcement issued detention orders for the key figures of these groups.

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

"Why is the state putting so much effort to go after the four families?" a Chinese investigator said in the July report.

"It's to warn individuals, no matter your identity, your location, as long as you engage in these heinous offenses affecting the nationals, you will pay the price."