HANGZHOU - A total of 11 criminals from gangs based in northern Myanmar, including key members of telecom fraud groups, were sentenced to death on Monday on multiple criminal charges, according to the verdict of a local court in Wenzhou, East China's Zhejiang province.  

Also at the court, five defendants were sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve and 11 were sentenced to life imprisonment. Another 12 defendants were sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment ranging from five to twenty-four years, along with corresponding supplementary penalties such as fines, confiscation of property, and deportation.

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According to the court, since 2015, the defendants set up several compounds to house criminal gangs and provide armed protection for criminal acts, such as telecom fraud, operating casinos, drug trafficking, and organizing prostitution.

The gambling and fraud crimes involved funds of more than 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion). The defendants also caused 14 deaths and wounded six persons.

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The court said it made the judgment in accordance with the law, based on the facts, nature, circumstances of each defendant's crime and the degree of harm it caused to society.

More than 160 people, including Chinese legislators, political advisors, journalists, family members of those involved, and members of the public, observed the sentence.