In late January 2026, China executed 11 members of the Ming family, a notorious criminal group involved in running scam and gambling operations in Myanmar. The executions were carried out following a September 2025 court ruling, where the members were found guilty of various crimes, including the murder of 14 Chinese citizens and fraud contributing to significant financial losses. The Ming family's activities were centered in Laukkaing, a town in Myanmar's Shan State, which they transformed into a hub for illegal online scams and gambling dens, supported by a culture of violence. The court proceedings were held behind closed doors, revealing the significant scale of the Ming family's operations that generated over $1 billion between 2015 and 2023. The decision to execute these individuals came after an appeal against their death sentences was rejected by China’s highest court. Authorities reported that these criminal activities exploited hundreds of thousands of individuals, including many trafficked Chinese nationals, to run scams. The crackdown by Chinese authorities was partly in response to growing international pressure for action against rampant cross-border crime. The Ming family's control over Laukkaing extended back to the early 2000s, when their rise to power began following military intervention in the area. The family's patriarch, Ming Xuechang, reportedly took his own life in 2023 to evade arrest, highlighting the desperation faced by those involved in these operations. In recent years, China has stepped up cooperation with regional governments to combat the presence of scam compounds and address the grave humanitarian issues associated with human trafficking linked to these criminal networks. As these events unfolded, the Chinese government has continued to prioritize improving security and reducing crime across its borders. The execution of the Ming family members serves as a clear message of Beijing's commitment to tackling organized crime and fraud, especially as public outrage over the impact of these scams on Chinese citizens has reached a boiling point. Through these actions, officials are looking to eliminate the influence of organized criminal syndicates operating in neighboring countries which continue to harm potential victims worldwide.