China has executed 11 convicted criminals connected to gang networks operating out of northern Myanmar, marking a major escalation in Beijing’s campaign against cross-border telecom fraud and organized cybercrime.
State news agency Xinhua reported Thursday that the executions were carried out in the eastern Chinese city of Wenzhou, in Zhejiang province, after the defendants were sentenced to death in September. The individuals were identified as key members of criminal groups involved in telecom fraud operations based across the China–Myanmar border region.
The executions reflect China’s increasingly aggressive approach to dismantling transnational scam networks that have operated for years across Southeast Asia, particularly in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Thailand.
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Authorities have made the fight against telecom fraud and online scams a national security priority, citing financial losses, human trafficking concerns, and the exploitation of Chinese citizens by organized crime syndicates.
According to Xinhua, the 11 individuals were convicted for their roles in criminal organizations tied to large-scale fraud schemes, though detailed identities and case specifics were not publicly disclosed.
China has strengthened law enforcement cooperation with Southeast Asian governments in recent years, launching coordinated operations with Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia to shut down so-called “scam centers” that target victims across Asia and beyond.
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As part of those efforts, tens of thousands of suspects have been detained and repatriated, according to transnational organized crime experts cited by international agencies.
In 2024, China’s Ministry of Public Security reported that more than 7,600 Chinese nationals suspected of involvement in online gambling and telecom fraud were repatriated from Myawaddy, a border town in southeastern Myanmar near Thailand.
The crackdown has also extended beyond Myanmar. Earlier this month, Cambodian authorities extradited tycoon Chen Zhi to China. The United States has alleged that Chen chairs a conglomerate serving as a front for a multibillion-dollar cyber scam network operating across Southeast Asia, according to U.S. government statements and international reporting.
Security analysts say these operations reflect a coordinated regional effort to disrupt criminal ecosystems that rely on weak border enforcement, corruption, and cross-border infrastructure.
China’s actions signal that enforcement will continue to intensify, with greater cross-border policing, stricter judicial penalties, and deeper cooperation with regional governments.
