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One Chinese court has sentenced five leading members of a well-known Burmese mafia to capital punishment as Chinese authorities maintains its efforts on fraudulent activities in Southeast Asian region.

Altogether, 21 Bai family members and associates were sentenced of scams, homicide, injury and various crimes, reported a official document posted on the court portal.

The family is among a few of organized crime groups that became dominant in the 2000s and changed the underdeveloped remote area of Laukkaing into a profitable base of casinos and nightlife areas.

Over the past few years they shifted to fraudulent schemes in which numerous of trafficked workers, several of them from China, are ensnared, abused and obligated to scam targets in criminal activities valued at billions.

Specifics of the Sentencing

Syndicate leader Bai Suocheng and his offspring the younger Bai were included in the several men condemned to death by the court in Shenzhen. Yang Liqiang, A third figure and Chen Guangyi were the remaining punished.

Two members of the Bai family mafia were received suspended death sentences. Several were given to life in prison, while nine others were received prison terms ranging from three to 20 years.

The clan, who commanded their own armed group, established 41 compounds to accommodate their online fraud activities and casinos, government stated.

Extent of Illegal Operations

These criminal operations included more than 29bn Chinese yuan ($4.1 billion; over three billion pounds). They also caused the demise of several from China citizens, the suicide of an individual and numerous assaults, reports announced.

The harsh punishments delivered by the court are within China's campaign to eradicate the extensive fraud networks in the region - and issue a stern signal to further illegal groups.

Context of the Clans

Such groups rose to power in the early 2000s with the support of a military leader - who is in charge of the country's military government. He had intended to prop up partners in Laukkaing after ousting its former ruler.

Within the clans, the this family were "the top", the son before stated to state media.

Back then, our Bai family was the most powerful in each of the political and armed spheres," the individual stated in a film about the Bai family, broadcast on official channels in the summer.

During the report, a worker at one of their scam centres described the mistreatment he had endured there: in addition to being hit, he had his fingernails extracted with instruments and two of his digits cut off with a blade.

More Charges

The son is included in those who were condemned to execution recently. He has also been separately sentenced of conspiring to smuggle and produce a large quantity of illegal drugs, official sources announced.

Decline of the Families

Their downfall occurred in last year as situations shifted.

Over a long period Beijing has encouraged the Myanmar junta to limit fraudulent schemes in the area.

Last year, the authorities released arrest warrants for the most prominent figures of these clans.

The patriarch, the clan's leader, was among the individuals who were handed to China from Myanmar in the beginning of the year.

"Why is the authorities making such extensive work to go after the groups?" a expert stated in the summer film.

The purpose is to caution other people, no matter who you are, your base, when you commit such heinous offenses targeting the citizens, you will pay the price."