In a major operation, 130 youths from China, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam were arrested on Saturday (12) and brought before the Teldeniya Magistrate on Sunday (13). The magistrate, Waruna Karalliyadde, ordered that they be held in custody until October 16.
Several Youths Jumped Into the Mahaweli River
Police revealed that among the suspects were 17 women. The group is suspected of staying at a hotel in the Kundasale area since September 30 and stealing money from bank accounts through the internet. During the police raid, 130 people were apprehended, though four escaped by jumping into the Mahaweli River.
The police seized 120 modern Apple computers, 15 desktop computers, 300 smartphones, 50 routers, and other technical equipment used in the operation. A Sri Lankan youth who worked as an interpreter for the group was also arrested.
This group had reportedly been staying in Sri Lanka on tourist visas and had reserved 47 luxury rooms at the Kundasale Hotel for the next six months. They had already paid a food bill of over five million rupees at the hotel.
The arrests were made based on instructions from Senior Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Lalith Patinayake of the Central Province. The operation was led by Chief Inspector Tilak Samaranayake, Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Kandy Criminal Investigation Division.
One challenge the police faced was the language barrier, as none of the arrested individuals spoke any language other than their native tongues. Police Sergeant Aruna Bandara, representing the Criminal Investigation Department, presented the suspects to the court, despite no complaints being filed against them from anywhere in the world.
The lawyers argued
The lawyers argued that the suspects had not committed any crimes, such as money laundering, and that holding them without charges could harm Sri Lanka’s reputation and tourism industry.
After considering these points, the Acting Magistrate decided to remand the group under Section 400 of the Penal Code, the Computer Crime Act, and the Betting Act.
In a related development, 18 Chinese nationals without visas were arrested in the Aniwatta area of Kandy, and 12 more Chinese nationals were arrested at a hotel in Peradeniya. Among the 18 arrested in Aniwatta, 16 did not have valid passports. The police believe these individuals may also be involved in similar online financial scams.
The Kandy police have launched a full investigation into these incidents.
Police Bust Major Online Scam Ring: 120 Chinese Nationals Arrested in Kandy
