A total of 37 Chinese nationals, including one woman, were arrested yesterday on suspicion of engaging in illegal online activities while staying at a rented house in Koswatta, Thalangama.
The suspects were produced before the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court, which ordered that they be remanded until the 7th.
The arrests were made during a joint raid conducted by the Walana Central Anti-Corruption Task Force and the Thalangama Police Anti-Corruption Unit.
Large Haul of Electronic Devices Seized
During a search of the house, police seized a significant quantity of equipment, including:
35 desktop computers
37 tablets
147 mobile phones
100 SIM cards
2,100 illegal cigarettes
Initial investigations revealed that the suspects had entered the country on three-month tourist visas and were engaged in illegal activities during their stay.
Authorities are currently investigating whether the group was involved in online financial fraud, hacking operations, or other cyber crimes.
320 Chinese Nationals Arrested Since March
This incident is part of a larger pattern. Since March, more than 320 Chinese nationals have been arrested in Sri Lanka during major raids targeting illegal cyber operations.
Investigations indicate that many of these individuals entered the country on tourist visas, rented luxury houses or hotels, and conducted international financial fraud via the internet.
Series of Major Raids Across the Country
According to police records:
126 Chinese nationals were arrested in Anuradhapura and Mihintale in mid-March
16 suspects were apprehended in Negombo in late March
Nearly 150 foreigners, including 133 Chinese nationals, were arrested in early April at a hotel in Iranawila, Chilaw — the largest cyber fraud operation uncovered in the country
During the Iranawila raid, police recovered nearly 100 laptops and over 250 mobile phones.
In a separate incident on April 16, 9 Chinese nationals at Katunayake Airport were found in possession of a large stock of cyber equipment, including 383 mobile phones and 101 tablets, further highlighting the international scale of the racket.
Expanding Cybercrime Network
Police believe that the latest raid in Koswatta, Thalangama, carried out on May 1 and 2, is part of this broader and highly organized cyber crime network.
The large number of communication devices and illegal items recovered suggests that the suspects were operating a well-coordinated cyber crime center.
Authorities also point to a critical weakness enabling these operations: local collaboration. Some individuals are reportedly motivated by financial gain to rent properties and provide facilities to these foreign nationals, inadvertently supporting illegal activities. Officials stress that addressing this local support network is essential to dismantling the broader cybercrime operations.
The Growing Menace Of Chinese Cyber Criminals In Sri Lanka : Behind The Kandy Arrest
