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A China's judicial body has handed down death sentences to a group of leading individuals of a well-known Myanmar organized crime group to execution as Beijing continues its crackdown on fraudulent activities in the region.

Overall, 21 Bai family figures and partners were sentenced of fraud, murder, injury and additional crimes, said a state media report released on the court portal.

This clan is one of a handful of syndicates that became dominant in the last two decades and transformed the underdeveloped isolated region of Laukkaing into a wealthy base of casinos and red-light districts.

Recently they turned to scams in which many of trafficked workers, many of them Chinese, are caught, mistreated and forced to cheat victims in criminal activities worth huge sums.

Details of the Verdict

Syndicate head the patriarch and his heir the younger Bai were among the five men given to death by the court in Shenzhen. Another individual, Hu Xiaojiang and Chen Guangyi were the additional convicted.

A couple of individuals of the Bai family syndicate were received suspended death sentences. Five were sentenced to life imprisonment, while more figures were received prison terms ranging from three to 20 years.

The clan, who led their own militia, established forty-one bases to house their digital scam operations and casinos, officials said.

Extent of Criminal Activities

These unlawful operations included more than 29 billion Chinese yuan (over four billion dollars; £3.1bn). They also caused the demise of six Chinese citizens, the self-inflicted death of an individual and several assaults, state media stated.

The strict sentences delivered by the judicial body are part of the Chinese effort to eradicate the large scam networks in the region - and deliver a firm message to other criminal syndicates.

Background of the Groups

Such clans gained influence in the recent decades with the help of Min Aung Hlaing - who now leads Myanmar's junta. The leader had wanted to prop up partners in Laukkaing after removing its earlier ruler.

Among the families, the Bais were "the most powerful", Bai Yingcang earlier told state media.

During that period, our Bai family was the most powerful in each of the political and armed spheres," he remarked in a film about the Bai family, broadcast on official channels in July.

Within that report, a worker at their their scam centres recalled the harm he had endured at the location: in addition to being hit, he had his fingernails extracted with tools and a couple of his digits cut off with a blade.

Further Allegations

Bai Yingcang is among those who were condemned to death this week. He has also been separately convicted of conspiring to trade and produce eleven tons of methamphetamine, reports announced.

Downfall of the Clans

Their downfall occurred in last year as circumstances shifted.

Previously Beijing has encouraged the regime to limit fraudulent schemes in Laukkaing.

Recently, the law enforcement announced legal actions for the leading figures of such groups.

The patriarch, the clan's patriarch, was among the individuals who were handed to China from Myanmar in recent months.

"Why is the Chinese government making significant resources to go after the four families?" a official commented in the July film.

"It's to warn other people, regardless of your identity, your location, as long as you carry out these serious crimes affecting the nationals, you will face consequences."