China's Ruthless Crackdown: Four More Executed in Mafia Bust

Tue Feb 03 2026 14:43:15 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a further crackdown on organized crime, China has executed four notorious members of the Bai family mafia, highlighting the government's stringent measures against cross-border scams that have victimized thousands.

The Chinese government has executed four members of the Bai family mafia, part of a broader initiative to combat rampant scam operations in Myanmar. The Bai family, convicted of serious crimes including murder and fraud, had previously established a significant criminal empire. This execution follows the recent execution of 11 members of another mafia family, emphasizing Beijing's resolve to deter organized crime that impacts its citizens.

China has executed four members of the Bai family mafia, one of the notorious dynasties that operated scam centers in Myanmar, as reported by state media.

These four were part of 21 family members and associates convicted for serious crimes including fraud, homicide, and injury by a Guangdong province court.

Last November, the court sentenced five individuals, including the clan patriarch Bai Suocheng, to death. It was noted that Bai Suocheng passed away from illness shortly after his conviction, according to reports.

In a broader crackdown last week, China executed 11 members of the Ming family mafia, responding to significant public outcry regarding scam operations targeting Chinese victims across Southeast Asia.

For years, families like the Bais and Mings ruled over Myanmar's Laukkaing border town, running illicit casinos, red-light districts, and cyberscam businesses.

Amongst the mafia clans, the Bais held the top position; as stated by Bai Suocheng's son after his father's detention.

The authority revealed that the Bais established 41 compounds for their criminal enterprises and maintained a violent environment where beatings and torture were commonplace. The Bai family's illicit activities reportedly resulted in the deaths of six Chinese citizens and numerous injuries.

This criminal dynasty rose to power in the early 2000s following the ousting of a local warlord, quickly becoming entrenched alliances with the military leadership in Myanmar.

However, their downfall came in 2023 when China expressed discontent with the Myanmar military's failure to address rampant scams. This frustration led to an offensive by insurgents, which substantially altered the civil war's landscape in Myanmar.

When captured, the mafia members were handed over to Chinese authorities, where their narratives became central to state documentaries focusing on eradicating these illicit networks. The recent executions are seen as a significant deterrent message for potential scammers.

The United Nations estimates that hundreds of thousands, including many Chinese nationals, have been trafficked into running online scams in Myanmar and beyond, extracting billions from their victims.