KOKANG / BEIJING — The era of the "Untouchable Syndicates" in Northern Myanmar has met a grizzly end. In a move that sends a bone-chilling message to cross-border criminal networks, China has executed four senior leaders of the notorious Bai family crime syndicate, marking the most aggressive phase yet of Beijing’s war on the "scam city" economy.
As the Bai family met the executioner, another titan of the underworld, Xu Faqi (known as Xu Laofa), narrowly escaped the same fate—for now—receiving a death sentence with a two-year reprieve.
The Fall of the Bai Dynasty
The Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court confirmed that the executions were carried out following final approval by the Supreme People’s Court.
The Charges: Kidnapping, extortion, drug trafficking, and operating "telecom fraud parks" that were essentially modern-day slave labor camps.
The Toll: Investigators linked the group to the theft of over 29 billion yuan ($4 billion USD) and the direct deaths of six Chinese citizens.
The Message: By executing the top brass, Beijing is signaling that "sovereign borders" no longer provide a shield for those who prey on Chinese nationals.
The Xu Laofa Verdict: A Life in Limbo
While the Bai family faced immediate execution, the Chongqing No. 5 Intermediate People’s Court handed Xu Faqi a "death sentence with a two-year reprieve."
In the Chinese legal system, this is a calculated psychological tool. If Xu displays "reform" over the next 24 months, his sentence may be commuted to life imprisonment. However, his crimes are no less harrowing. Since 2019, Xu’s compounds were sites of "intentional injury" and "illegal detention," where internal punishments for low-performing scammers occasionally turned fatal.
Inside the 'Scam Park' Economy
For years, the borderlands of Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos—the infamous Golden Triangle—have shifted from opium to "pig-butchering" scams.
Human Trafficking: Luring youth with "high-paying tech jobs" only to lock them in fortified compounds.
Psychological Warfare: Using AI and social engineering to drain the life savings of retirees and students in mainland China.
Violence: Armed guards and torture chambers used to maintain discipline within the parks.
A Shifting Geopolitical Landscape
This "investigative blitz" is more than just police work; it is extraterritorial muscle-flexing. Since mid-2023, China has pressured the Myanmar junta and local ethnic militias to hand over thousands of suspects.
| Syndicate | Status |
| Bai Family | Dismantled (Key leaders executed Feb 2026) |
| Ming Family | Crushed (11 members executed Jan 2026) |
| Wei & Liu Clans | In Custody (Awaiting high-profile trials) |
"Beijing is no longer asking for cooperation; they are demanding results," says one regional analyst. "The swiftness of these executions serves as a domestic PR win for a government under pressure to protect its citizens from rampant online fraud."
What’s Next?
As the "Big Four" families of Kokang are systematically erased, the power vacuum in Northern Myanmar remains a volatile concern. While the scam parks are closing, the infrastructure of organized crime often simply migrates to more lawless frontiers.
