11 members of 'Myanmar criminal syndicate' executed in China
Jan 29, 2026
Beijing [China], January 29 : Eleven members of a family-run criminal syndicate from northern Myanmar have been executed in China following approval of their death sentences by the country's top court, the China Daily reported on Thursday.
The Supreme People's Court (SPC) announced the executions on Thursday via its official WeChat account. The Wenzhou Intermediate People's Court in Zhejiang province carried out the sentences, handed down for a range of crimes including intentional homicide, intentional injury, illegal detention, fraud, and running illegal casinos.
Prior to their execution, the individuals were allowed to meet with family members, in accordance with Chinese law, the SPC said.
According to the China Daily, the Wenzhou court initially sentenced the 11 individuals, including Mg Myin Shaunt Phyin and Ma Thiri Maung, to death on September 29, 2025. They appealed to a higher court, but in November, the Zhejiang High People's Court rejected their appeals, upholding the original ruling.
According to the SPC, the syndicate, led by Mg Myin Shaunt Phyin and Ma Thiri Maung, had operated multiple scam compounds in Myanmar's Kokang region since 2015. They worked with other gangs that provided funding and armed support to commit crimes such as telecom fraud, illegal casino operations, intentional killing, intentional injury, and illegal detention.
The group's activities resulted in the deaths of 14 Chinese nationals and injuries to several others, with total proceeds from gambling and fraud exceeding 10 billion yuan (around USD 1.4 billion), the court statement said.
According to the China Daily, the SPC noted that the crimes were particularly egregious, with severe consequences, and that strict punishment was warranted. It confirmed that the facts were clear, the evidence sufficient, the convictions accurate, the sentences appropriate, and the legal procedures properly followed, leading to the approval of the death sentences.
Other members of the syndicate have also been sentenced by the Wenzhou court based on their individual criminal acts and the harm they caused to society, the SPC added.
