A Chinese court today sentenced to death 16 suspected members of a gang involved in cyber fraud, illegal gambling, drug trafficking and prostitution in an area of Myanmar bordering China, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported.
Five of the 16 convicted received suspended sentences of two years.
A court in Wenzhou in eastern China also handed down 11 life sentences and 12 more prison sentences of up to 24 years, CCTV reported.
It was one of the collective trials with the heaviest sentences in recent years. The verdict in the first instance can be appealed.
The Ming family and other gangs have been involved in many criminal activities since 2015 and are responsible for the deaths of 14 people in connection with cybercrime activities, 10 of whom were forcibly employed and tried to escape, the court added.
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