September, Friday 20, 2024

Myanmar Extradites Three Chinese Warlords Supported by the Junta to Beijing


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Myanmar has extradited three Chinese warlords to Beijing, who were responsible for operating scam centers that trapped over 100,000 foreign nationals. Bai Suocheng, Wei Chaoren, and Liu Zhengxiang were leaders of three out of the four families who ruled Laukkaing, a town located on Myanmar's northeastern border with China. The warlords were taken to China on a chartered flight along with seven others. This development further highlights the downfall of the military-backed Chinese mafia in Myanmar and deals a blow to the weakening military regime. General Min Aung Hlaing, who supported the Chinese mafia in Laukkaing, is said to have played a role in their activities. However, China had been pressuring Myanmar to curb the scam centers without much success. In response to their unease, three insurgent armies launched coordinated attacks against the military, leading to the downfall of the mafia families. These families transformed Laukkaing into a hub for criminal activities, particularly lucrative scam centers. The Chinese Ministry of Public Security characterized these centers as telecom fraud crimes and accused the warlords of other severe violent crimes such as murder and illegal detention. China considers their arrest a significant achievement and has so far received around 44,000 individuals suspected of involvement in the scam centers from Myanmar. The warlords' close ties to the military allowed China the opportunity to crack down on the scam compounds in Laukkaing. The families had extensive business networks involved in various industries and illicit activities in Myanmar and other countries. Laukkaing evolved from a remote and impoverished town into a bustling casino hub and attracted foreign nationals, especially Chinese, who were lured into scam centers and forced into online fraud operations. The town became notorious for its lawlessness, occasional gun battles between rival centers, and the keeping of exotic animals by powerful individuals.