A court in eastern China has sentenced three members of a criminal gang to death for their involvement in operating a network of scam centers in Myanmar. The Quanzhou Intermediate People’s Court in Fujian province announced the sentences on Tuesday for Wei Huairen, Chen Dawei, and Liao Jingfang, who were part of the 'Wei family criminal gang.' The gang was implicated in various crimes, including drug trafficking, organized prostitution, illegal casino operations, telecommunications fraud, and the murder of at least two Chinese nationals.
The court found Wei to be one of the leaders of the group and guilty of multiple offenses, including murder. Additionally, three other gang members received life sentences, while 55 others were sentenced to prison terms ranging from three years and three months to 24 years. The court reported that the gang's operations generated over $1.8 billion.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV noted that the gang operated 14 large-scale compounds and attracted thousands of Chinese nationals to Myanmar with promises of high wages. This verdict aligns with Beijing's increased efforts to combat cross-border scam networks in Southeast Asia, where such operations have become widespread. The International Organization for Migration indicated in July that scam centers in the region employ up to 300,000 workers and utilize online schemes to defraud individuals, particularly targeting the elderly in Western countries. Many of those involved in the scams are foreign nationals who are trafficked and forced to work in harsh conditions.