Five people involved in northern Myanmar criminal gang sentenced to death by Chinese court

A court in southern China on Tuesday sentenced five people involved in a criminal group that operates in northern Myanmar to death for their involvement in crimes including fraud, intentional homicide, and intentional injury.

The crimes of their criminal gang have resulted in the deaths of six Chinese nationals, one Chinese national's suicide, and injuries to several others, according to the ruling by the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court in Guangdong Province.

The court also handed down verdicts of death sentence with two years of reprieve to two defendants involved in the gang, life imprisonment to five defendants, and sentences ranging from three to 20 years to nine others of those guilty, along with additional penalties including fines, confiscation of property, and deportation.

The criminals were found to have built 41 compounds in the Kokang region of Myanmar and been engaged in criminal activities ranging from telecom fraud, operating gambling dens, intentional homicide, organizing and coercing prostitution, to organizing others to illegally cross national borders.

One of the defendants sentenced to death was also found to have colluded with others in trafficking and manufacturing approximately 11 tonnes of methamphetamine, a narcotic drug.

The total funds involved in gambling and fraud activities exceeded 29 billion yuan (around $4 billion), according to the court ruling.

(Images related to telecom fraud. /VCG)