Sri Lanka arrested over 152 foreigners, mostly Chinese men, on charges related to a call center scam operated by Chinese nationals. Authorities also seized a number of items as evidence.
Foreign news agencies reported on 5 Apr 2026 that Sri Lankan police raided and arrested 152 foreigners, mostly Chinese, on Friday (3 Apr) on charges of running a cyber fraud operation in the form of a call center. The group used a hotel in the northwest of the country as their base.
Frederick Wutler, a police spokesperson, told AFP that the raid took place in the coastal city of Chilaw, about 80 kilometers north of Colombo, following a tip-off.
"Those involved in fraud will be prosecuted under our criminal laws, while others may be deported," Wutler said. Among those arrested were 133 Chinese nationals (including seven women) and 13 Vietnamese.
Local police sources said two Chinese men tried to flee during the raid, were injured, and taken to hospital. Other suspects were brought before a local court and remanded in custody until 9 April pending further investigation.
Sources also reported that 143 laptops, 120 desktop computers, and 370 mobile phones were found at the operation, which was run by Chinese men who had rented the entire hotel building.
Last month, Sri Lankan immigration officials arrested 135 Chinese men and women on similar cyber fraud charges; all were subsequently deported.
The Chinese Embassy in Colombo stated after that arrest that it was coordinating closely with local authorities to prevent its citizens from engaging in fraud activities in Sri Lanka.
"Sri Lanka's developed telecommunications infrastructure, favorable geographic location, and relatively relaxed visa policies have led some telecom fraud gangs to relocate their operations here," the embassy said.
"This explains the recent rise in such cases in Sri Lanka," the embassy added, noting that these criminal groups mainly target Chinese residents living in China.
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Source:cna