Sri Lankan police announced on Sunday (May 3) that they have arrested 37 Chinese nationals suspected of operating an online scam center in Colombo, marking the latest move by the country to crack down on foreign internet fraud activities.
According to reports from Agence France-Presse, a police spokesperson stated that the suspects ranged in age from 23 to 44, including one female individual.
“They entered the country on tourist visas and worked illegally, with two individuals overstaying their visas,” the police spokesperson said.
Local police sources informed Agence France-Presse that the suspected scam center that was busted was located in Talangama, a suburb of Colombo. Police seized 35 tablets, 147 mobile phones, and 100 SIM cards from the premises.
This is the latest internet scam operation uncovered in Sri Lanka recently. Just a month ago, 152 foreign nationals (including 133 Chinese citizens) were arrested for allegedly conducting internet fraud activities in a hotel in the northwest of Sri Lanka. Police sources had previously told Agence France-Presse that inside the hotel leased by Chinese citizens, authorities found 143 laptops, 120 desktop computers, and 370 mobile phones.
In March of this year, immigration authorities arrested 135 Chinese nationals for similar fraudulent activities. These individuals have since been deported.
In addition to combating domestic internet crimes, Sri Lanka has intensified customs inspections. On April 16, the customs department reported the arrest of 9 Chinese nationals at the Colombo international airport for allegedly bringing communication devices into the country, suspected to be used in internet fraud activities.
In 2024, Sri Lankan authorities detained 230 Chinese nationals and 200 Indian nationals accused of operating internet crime centers across the country.