Sri Lankan authorities have intensified their efforts to combat cybercrime and illegal activities carried out by foreign nationals on tourist visas. In a recent operation, police arrested 12 Indian nationals suspected of involvement in cybercrimes during a raid in Kandy, central Sri Lanka. This latest action brings the total number of similar arrests to over 70 in the past week.
The raid, conducted late Monday night in Halloluwa, Kandy, was based on intelligence received by Senior DIG Central Province Lalith Pathinayake. The Kandy Crime Investigations Unit seized a substantial amount of equipment, including 22 desktop computers, four laptops, more than 50 advanced cellular phones, eleven ATM cards, and various other devices.
Investigations revealed that the suspects had rented a house for 300,000 Sri Lankan rupees per month to conduct their covert operations. Police suspect the group was running an international-level betting business through the internet, among other computer-related crimes.
This arrest is part of a larger crackdown on foreign nationals engaging in illegal activities while on tourist visas in Sri Lanka. Last week, authorities arrested approximately 200 foreigners, with the majority being Indian nationals, for alleged involvement in online financial scams. The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) discovered that funds obtained through these frauds were deposited in bank accounts in the UK, Dubai, and India.
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In a separate operation, the CID and Kochchikade Police arrested 205 foreigners, including 136 Indians, who entered Sri Lanka on tourist visas but were found to be involved in various illegal activities, including online scams. Some were reportedly engaged in online gambling related to the T20 Cricket World Cup series.
The crackdown has not been limited to Indian nationals. On June 28, a group of 30 Chinese nationals, including three women, were arrested in Negombo for operating a cryptocurrency racket while on tourist visas.
These incidents highlight the growing concern over the misuse of tourist visas for illegal activities in Sri Lanka. Authorities are taking stringent measures to identify and apprehend foreign nationals involved in cybercrimes, online scams, and other illicit operations.
As investigations continue, local law enforcement agencies are working to uncover the full extent of these criminal networks and their impact on both local and international financial systems. The Sri Lankan government is likely to face pressure to tighten visa regulations and implement more robust screening processes for foreign visitors to prevent such incidents in the future.
