Twenty suspected leaders and core members of telecommunications fraud groups in northern Myanmar were brought back to China, the Ministry of Public Security said on Sunday.

A task force from the ministry strengthened law enforcement cooperation with Myanmar and jointly carried out a crackdown operation for the first time in Yangon, Mandalay, and other areas in Myanmar recently, the ministry said in a statement.

The operation led to the arrest of the 20 suspects, including individuals surnamed Chen and Yang. A chartered aircraft was organized to successfully bring back the suspects, the ministry added.

"It marks another significant achievement in law enforcement cooperation between China and Myanmar, showcasing the firm determination of both countries to jointly combat cross-border telecommunications fraud crimes and uphold security and stability," it said.

Over a long period, individuals such as Chen and Yang were associated with criminal groups in northern Myanmar to control armed forces, operate fraud schemes, and carry out rampant telecommunications fraud targeting Chinese citizens.

Additionally, they are suspected of various serious violent crimes including intentional homicide and intentional injury. Their criminal activities were extremely heinous, causing significant harm to society and drawing widespread condemnation from the public, the ministry said.

The ministry said it will deepen cooperation with more countries, crack down on cross-border telecommunications fraud crimes targeting Chinese citizens in accordance with the law, and effectively safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens.