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3rd LD-Writethru: China prosecutes 39 members of major telecom fraud gangs in northern Myanmar

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E-mail Xinhua, December 30, 2024

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HANGZHOU, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- A total of 39 members of major criminal groups based in northern Myanmar were prosecuted in China on Monday for telecom fraud and other crimes targeting civilians in China.

The suspects, including Mg Myin Shaunt Phyin and Ma Thiri Maung, face charges of fraud, intentional homicide, intentional injury, illegal detention, operating casinos, drug trafficking, and organizing prostitution.

The case was filed to a local court in Wenzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province. Procurators reported that 16 defendants of the transnational criminal case are citizens of Myanmar.

Additionally, several thousand other suspects linked to the criminal groups are currently under investigation by procuratorates in Wenzhou and other locations across China.

Over 10,000 confirmed cases of telecom fraud associated with these suspects have been reported, amounting to billions of yuan, with several Chinese citizens having lost their lives.

Chinese procurators emphasized that the case reflects China's dedication to protecting the legitimate rights and interests of the nation and its citizens.

"These crimes partially took place within Chinese borders, specifically targeted Chinese citizens, and jeopardized the shared interests of the international community, thus granting China jurisdiction under its Criminal Law and international treaties," stated the procurators overseeing the case.

Through a coordinated law enforcement mechanism, police from China and Myanmar conducted on-site investigations, collected evidence, interviewed personnel, and apprehended and transferred criminal suspects.

Chinese prosecutors indicated they have heightened legal oversight, ensuring compliance with the Criminal Procedure Law of China and relevant regulations for collecting evidence from abroad, thereby upholding its legality.

The prosecutors affirmed their commitment to protecting the legal rights of the Myanmar defendants by informing them of their rights during legal proceedings, facilitating the appointment of defense attorneys, and offering legal aid. Translators were provided and consular protection was assured.

In recent years, telecom fraud syndicates operating in northern Myanmar have been unscrupulously targeting Chinese citizens, luring them to travel to their sites and participate in their fraudulent schemes against residents in China. These criminal activities posed a significant threat to the safety and property of Chinese citizens.

In July 2023, Chinese police launched a special campaign to combat telecom and internet fraud originating from the region, successfully busting several crime dens.

According to Chinese police sources, in one incident from October last year, the criminal gang led by the family of Mg Myin Shaunt Phyin and Ma Thiri Maung attempted to evade crackdowns by relocating people working for their gang ahead of an upcoming site inspection. On the evening of Oct. 19, the gang, in collaboration with telecom fraud "sponsors," organized armed escorts to transfer the members from a site controlled by Mye Shout Hkyann to other locations managed by Ma Thiri Maung, Mye Shout Hkyann's granddaughter.

According to Ma Thiri Maung's confession, her grandfather instructed her to relocate the personnel before the inspection and return them afterward.

During the relocation, some individuals attempted to escape but were shot by the armed escorts. Four Chinese nationals were killed, and four others were injured.

Ma Thiri Maung confessed that upon learning about the incident, she ordered the bodies to be buried in a field under her family's control.

The killings were just the tip of the iceberg of the family's criminal operations.

Police investigation found that at the height of their activities, the family-controlled compounds housed nearly 10,000 individuals engaged in telecom fraud. The gang provided armed protection for these operations, colluding with "sponsors" to exert violent control. Lower-level workers who disobeyed orders or failed to fulfill fraud tasks were subjected to abuse, beatings, rape, and even murder.

According to a man surnamed Li, who returned to China after being lured to northern Myanmar to work for the family's crime syndicate, he only realized he had been "sold" to the group upon arriving at their site.

"We were forced to make deals every day, and if our performance were poor, the 'supervisor' would beat us with a white rubber tube," Li recalled. "After about 10 days, I tried to escape but failed. They brutally beat me and locked me in a small dark room. I ended up with several broken ribs."

According to the confession of a suspect responsible for guarding the site, the "small dark room" served as a solitary confinement cell.

"Inside the cell, the space was only large enough for one person to sit, but there was no room to lie down, sleep, or even turn around. People were kept there for five or six days, or sometimes as long as 10 days," said the suspect.

Through such violent tactics, the gang carried out numerous unlawful activities.

"We have identified and linked over 10,000 fraud cases targeting individuals in China by the network," said Yang Guoqiang, a senior criminal investigation officer with the Wenzhou police.

After the October killing, China's Ministry of Public Security ordered police in Kunming, Lincang and Wenzhou to form a special investigation team.

"We mobilized over 100 police officers to screen more than 10,000 telecom fraud personnel who were transferred back during that period. Among them, we identified over 400 individuals who were either direct witnesses or had knowledge of the killing, which helped us gather crucial evidence," said Na Xin, a criminal investigation officer with the Kunming police.

Based on the evidence, Chinese police issued a public reward and wanted notice in November last year for key members of the family-led gang, including Mye Shout Hkyann, Mg Myin Shaunt Phyin, and Ma Thiri Maung.

On the night of Nov. 15, Myanmar authorities launched an operation to arrest Mye Shout Hkyann, during which the suspect took his own life. The following day, three other key members of the family were apprehended and transferred to Chinese police.

Joint police investigations uncovered the bodies or some cremated remains of the victims at the relevant sites. Other critical evidence also provided a solid foundation for a thorough investigation, according to Chinese police sources.

A task force of over 800 personnel meticulously examined, screened, and analyzed the vast amount of the targets' information lists, fraud script manuals, account books, and electronic evidence provided by Myanmar authorities, ensuring the coherence and consistency of the evidence chain.

China's Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) has vowed to step up foreign-related prosecution work.

In a recent document, the SPP pledged to impose severe penalties for crimes endangering China's national security in accordance with the law.

The SPP vowed to punish foreign individuals who infringe upon the national interests of China and the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and businesses, as well as crimes committed by Chinese citizens abroad that fall within the scope of international treaty obligations for China. Enditem