Sri Lankan Police Bust Online Scam Center, Arrest 37 Chinese Nationals

(Central News Agency, Colombo, May 3, Comprehensive Foreign News Report) A Sri Lankan police spokesperson stated today that police in the capital Colombo arrested 37 Chinese nationals suspected of operating an online scam center in the area. This is the latest example of the authorities' recent crackdown on foreigners engaged in online fraud.

Agence France-Presse reported that a local police officer said police raided a suspected scam center in Talangama, a suburb of Colombo, seizing 35 tablet computers, 147 mobile phones, and 100 SIM cards.

The police spokesperson noted that the suspects, aged between 23 and 44, included one woman, adding that "they entered on tourist visas and were engaged in illegal work, with two of them having overstayed their visas."

Sri Lankan authorities have recently intensified their efforts against fraud, including busting an online scam operation at a hotel in the country's northwest over a month ago, arresting 152 foreigners, most of whom were Chinese.

In March, the immigration department arrested 135 Chinese citizens suspected of engaging in similar scams, who have since been repatriated to their home country. The Chinese Embassy in Colombo stated at the time that it was working closely with relevant Sri Lankan departments to prevent Chinese citizens from engaging in fraudulent activities in the country.

In 2024, Sri Lanka arrested 230 Chinese and 200 Indian nationals accused of operating cybercrime centers in various locations across Sri Lanka. (Compiled by Hong Qiyuan) 1150503

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