Sri Lanka Dismantles Online Scam Network, Arrests 261 Suspects in Days—Mostly Chinese and Vietnamese Nationals
Sri Lanka arrested 261 suspects in online scam operations over five days, mostly Chinese and Vietnamese nationals who entered on tourist visas and worked illegally at fraud centers in and around Colombo.
Sri Lankan authorities arrested 30 Chinese and Vietnamese nationals on May 7 in the latest operation against online fraud networks, bringing the total number of suspects detained since the weekend to 261, according to police. The arrests were made in Werahera, outside Colombo, with detainees aged 19-39 to remain in custody until May 14.
Authorities had previously raided two scam centers on May 3, apprehending 157 suspects. On May 6, police shut down another operation in Colombo's Kollupitiya district, where 74 Vietnamese nationals were arrested.
A police spokesman stated: "They entered the country on tourist visas and worked illegally. Some had also overstayed their visa permits." A Colombo magistrate has ordered forensic examination of computers and mobile phones seized from the scam centers.
In April, Sri Lankan police arrested 152 foreign nationals, predominantly Chinese, at a hotel in the northwestern part of the island on cyberfraud charges. Immigration authorities also arrested 135 Chinese nationals in March on similar charges, who were subsequently deported.
The Chinese Embassy in Colombo noted that Chinese authorities are working closely with local officials to prevent Chinese nationals from involvement in scam operations. The embassy attributed the proliferation of scam centers in Sri Lanka to the country's advanced telecommunications infrastructure, favorable geographic location, and relatively lenient visa policies that have attracted organized cybercrime networks.
