Sri Lanka arrests foreigners in cyber scam raids

Sri Lankan authorities have arrested 231 foreign nationals, most of them Chinese and Vietnamese citizens, during a series of raids targeting suspected cyber scam centres in the capital Colombo, police officials said on Thursday.

According to police spokesman Frederick Wootler, the suspects were detained during operations conducted since the weekend at multiple locations linked to alleged online fraud activities.

Authorities first raided two suspected cyber scam centres on Sunday, arresting 157 individuals. A further 74 suspects were detained on Wednesday during a raid at another location in Colombo’s Kollupitiya area.

Police said many of the foreign nationals had entered Sri Lanka on tourist visas but were allegedly involved in illegal employment and online scam operations. Some suspects were also accused of overstaying their visas.

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A Colombo magistrate has ordered forensic examinations of computers, mobile phones, and communication devices seized during the raids to determine the scale and nature of the cybercrime activities.

Officials stated that the recovered digital equipment was being analysed as part of the ongoing investigation into international fraud networks.

The arrests come amid increasing concerns over the use of Sri Lanka as a base for cyber scam operations targeting victims worldwide through cryptocurrency fraud, fake investment schemes, and online romance scams.

Last month, Sri Lankan authorities arrested 152 foreign nationals, mostly Chinese citizens, over a similar cybercrime operation allegedly run from a hotel in the country’s northwest region.

In March, immigration officials also detained 135 Chinese nationals accused of operating online scam networks. Those suspects were later deported.

China’s embassy in Colombo previously said it was cooperating with Sri Lankan authorities to prevent Chinese nationals from participating in illegal cyber activities in the country.

According to officials, Sri Lanka’s growing digital infrastructure, strategic location, and relatively relaxed visa policies have made it attractive for international fraud syndicates.