Nearly 1,000 foreigners arrested for online scams this year

Nearly 1,000 foreign nationals have been arrested this year alone for allegedly engaging in organized financial fraud through the internet while staying in hotels and tourist resorts on tourist visas.

The majority of these arrests were made by officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

In the past week alone, more than 100 foreigners were apprehended, including 39 Chinese nationals arrested on October 8 by officers from the CID and Panadura North Police for their involvement in internet-related fraud.

The Chinese nationals were found to be violating their visa conditions by engaging in unauthorised employment within the country. They were also accused of introducing various investment schemes to individuals identified through social media and illegally accessing their bank accounts to commit fraud.

Among those arrested, four Chinese women and 15 Chinese men were taken into custody in Nawala and Koswatta by CID officers.

The other suspects 20 Chinese nationals, were arrested at a hotel in Gorakana, Panadura, by officers of the Panadura North Police, based on information received from the Western Province Intelligence Division. The suspects, aged between 22 and 49, had been staying in the hotel.

The police also seized five laptops, 437 mobile phones, a weighing scale, 332 USB cables, 133 mobile phone chargers, 21 USB wire cords, 17 routers, two iPhones, and several other devices during the raid. The suspects had been staying at the hotel on a monthly rent of two million rupees, with food provided by the hotel, according to the police.

All the suspects were scheduled to be presented before the Panadura Magistrate yesterday (9). Police stated that investigations are underway to determine whether the suspects had committed any financial crimes.

Additionally, police are investigating a possible connection between the group of Chinese nationals arrested in Panadura and another group arrested by the CID in the Hanwella Police Division on October 6 for organised online financial fraud. The Panadura North Police and CID are conducting further investigations.

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