China executed 11 people linked to Myanmar criminal gangs, including "key members" of telecom scam operations, state media reported Thursday, as Beijing toughens its response to the sprawling, transnational industry. Fraud compounds where scammers lure internet users into fake romantic relationships and cryptocurrency investments have flourished across Southeast Asia, including in the lawless borderlands of Myanmar. Initially largely targeting Chinese speakers, the criminal groups behind the compounds have expanded operations into multiple languages to steal from victims around the world. The September rulings that resulted in Thursday's executions also included death sentences with two-year reprieves to five other individuals. In November, Chinese authorities sentenced five people to death for their involvement in scam operations in Myanmar's Kokang region.