China issues most wanted list in latest bid to clamp down on Myanmar’s sprawling cybercrime industry

Three of the people on the list are members of the Bai family, reported by Chinese media to be one of Kokang’s “four big families”, who are wanted by authorities in the northeastern province of Liaoning. The head of the family, 74-year-old Bai Suocheng, a former leader of the Kokang region, is wanted along with his son and daughter.

A police handout shows Bai Suocheng (left), and his daughter and son. They are among several people wanted in connection with online scams that have often targeted Chinese people. Photo: China’s Ministry of Public Security

Other wanted individuals belonged to the Wei and Liu families – both known crime families according to the police – who were wanted by authorities in the southeastern province of Fujian.

Police in the southwestern city of Chongqing were looking for another individual, Xu Laofa, who was believed to be leading another scam ring.

Authorities offered cash rewards of 100,000 to 500,000 yuan (US$14,00 to US$70,000) for “information and assistance” leading to arrests.

The wanted list was Beijing’s latest move to ramp up pressure on Myanmar’s military government to crack down on the country’s massive cybercrime industry.

The northern Myanmar region that borders China’s southwestern province of Yunnan has become a base for cyber fraud operations which have reportedly swindled and trapped hundreds of thousands of people from China.

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The area, which has close cultural and political ties to China, has lured Chinese people who were attracted to investment schemes and promises of love or employment, who are then trapped and forced to work in the cyber scams.

An August report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said at least 120,000 people in conflict-ridden Myanmar and about 100,000 in Cambodia “may be held in situations where they are forced to carry out online scams”.

Forced cybercrimes included online romance scams, sham crypto schemes and illegal gambling, in which the victims endured “inhumane treatment”, the report said.

Chinese authorities were forced to step up their crackdown in the region after news of forced labour and online fraud hit the headlines in the summer. They have repeatedly promised to crack down on online fraud.

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Last month, Chinese police issued a warrant for four members of Kokang’s Ming family, accusing them of being a crime syndicate running major telecoms scams targeting Chinese nationals.

A few days later, Ming Xuechang, the leader of the clan, died by suicide and three of his relatives were detained by Chinese police, according to state news agency Xinhua.

Also last month, Myanmar handed over 31,000 suspected telecoms fraudsters to China, including several accused ringleaders.

South China Morning Post