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One Chinese court has handed down death sentences to five leading individuals of a well-known Myanmar organized crime group to capital punishment as Beijing continues its efforts on fraudulent activities in Southeast Asian region.

In all, 21 clan members and associates were sentenced of fraud, murder, injury and additional crimes, stated a state media document posted on the court portal.

The group is one of a small number of organized crime groups that became dominant in the last two decades and changed the impoverished backwater town of Laukkaing into a wealthy center of casinos and entertainment zones.

Over the past few years they turned to illegal operations in which numerous of trafficked people, a large number of them from China, are trapped, abused and forced to defraud victims in criminal activities estimated at billions.

Details of the Verdict

Syndicate boss the patriarch and his offspring the younger Bai were included in the group of men condemned to death by the court in Shenzhen. Another individual, Hu Xiaojiang and Chen Guangyi were the additional convicted.

A couple of members of the clan syndicate were received suspended death sentences. Five were sentenced to life imprisonment, while more figures were received prison terms varying from several years to two decades.

This family, who commanded their own militia, established 41 bases to host their cyberscam operations and gambling houses, officials said.

Scale of Criminal Operations

Such unlawful enterprises included more than 29bn yuan (over four billion dollars; over three billion pounds). They also resulted in the deaths of six Chinese nationals, the suicide of one and multiple assaults, state media announced.

The harsh penalties issued by the court are part of the Chinese campaign to eradicate the vast fraud operations in the region - and deliver a firm message to other criminal organizations.

Context of the Groups

Such families became dominant in the recent decades with the support of a prominent figure - who is in charge of the country's junta. He had intended to support partners in Laukkaing after replacing its previous ruler.

Among the groups, the Bais were "the top", Bai Yingcang earlier told state media.

"At that time, the clan was the dominant in each of the government and military circles," he stated in a documentary about the Bai family, aired on national media in July.

In the same film, a employee at one of their scam centres described the harm he had endured at the location: in addition to being beaten, he had his nails yanked out with pliers and two of his fingers amputated with a tool.

Additional Charges

Bai Yingcang is included in those who were given to execution recently. He has also been separately sentenced of organizing to traffic and make eleven tons of narcotics, reports stated.

End of the Groups

Their downfall came in recent times as political winds altered.

For years Chinese authorities has pressed the Myanmar junta to rein in scam operations in the area.

Last year, the law enforcement announced arrest warrants for the key members of these groups.

The patriarch, the Bai family's head, was included in the figures who were transferred to Beijing from Myanmar in the beginning of the year.

For what reason is the state making such extensive work to target the groups?" a Chinese investigator said in the summer documentary.

This serves as a warning individuals, regardless of who you are, where you are, if you engage in such terrible offenses affecting the citizens, you will be held accountable."