Sri Lanka fast becoming hub for international scam operations
Sri Lanka has evidently become an attractive destination for international criminal networks operating so-called “scam camps,” according to police.
This is a new development for Sri Lanka, with the existence of these camps coming to light this year following several high profile raids.
A series of major police raids in the Western Province that led to the arrest of nearly 200 foreigners over the past week has revealed the widespread nature of the problem. Law enforcement authorities warn that the scams could even have a serious impact on the country’s banking system.
A vast majority of those arrested are Chinese nationals. Several Indian and Thai nationals too are among those taken into custody. The Kandy Range Crime Investigation Unit yesterday arrested 114 Chinese nationals on suspicion of engaging in online financial scams after raiding a hotel in Kundasale. Police said they seized more than 100 computers and nearly 300 mobile phones in the possession of the suspects. The Chinese nationals, including about 20 women, had been renting out 47 rooms of the hotel at the time police raided the location.