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One China's judicial body has sentenced five leading figures of a well-known Myanmar organized crime group to death as Chinese authorities maintains its campaign on fraudulent operations in Southeast Asian region.

In all, 21 clan figures and partners were convicted of fraud, murder, injury and various offenses, said a state media document published on the judicial portal.

The group is among a small number of syndicates that gained influence in the 2000s and converted the impoverished isolated region of the town into a profitable center of gambling establishments and entertainment zones.

Recently they pivoted to scams in which thousands of trafficked individuals, several of them Chinese, are trapped, abused and forced to cheat targets in unlawful operations worth billions of dollars.

Details of the Sentencing

Syndicate head the patriarch and his son the younger Bai were included in the several figures sentenced to execution by the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court. Yang Liqiang, A third figure and Chen Guangyi were the remaining sentenced.

A couple of figures of the clan mafia were received delayed executions. Five were given to life imprisonment, while more figures were received prison sentences varying from a period of 3-20 years.

The Bais, who controlled their own militia, set up forty-one facilities to house their cyberscam operations and betting establishments, authorities stated.

Scale of Criminal Activities

Such illegal operations involved more than 29 billion Chinese yuan ($4.1bn; over three billion pounds). These activities also led to the deaths of several from China individuals, the self-inflicted death of an individual and several assaults, official sources stated.

The severe penalties delivered by the court are a component of China's initiative to eradicate the large scam networks in Southeast Asia - and issue a stern warning to further unlawful groups.

Context of the Groups

Such groups became dominant in the recent decades with the assistance of Min Aung Hlaing - who currently heads the country's military government. The leader had wanted to bolster associates in Laukkaing after ousting its earlier warlord.

Within the clans, the this family were "the top", Bai Yingcang previously stated to state media.

Back then, our Bai family was the leading in each of the political and military arenas," he stated in a report about the clan, shown on official channels in July.

During the report, a worker at one of their scam centres recalled the mistreatment he had experienced at the location: besides being beaten, he had his nails removed with tools and a couple of his fingers severed with a blade.

More Allegations

Bai Yingcang is included in those who were sentenced to execution this week. He has also been separately found guilty of organizing to trade and manufacture 11 tonnes of methamphetamine, official sources announced.

End of the Families

The families' downfall occurred in recent times as circumstances shifted.

Previously Beijing has encouraged the local government to rein in scam schemes in Laukkaing.

Last year, the authorities issued arrest warrants for the most prominent members of such families.

The patriarch, the Bai family's leader, was among the figures who were handed to Beijing from the country in the beginning of the year.

For what reason is the authorities making so much effort to target the groups?" a official commented in the July report.

This serves as a warning groups, regardless of your position, your location, as long as you carry out these terrible acts affecting the nationals, you will pay the price."