The absence of complainants allows suspects to evade severe punishment under relevant laws; in most cases, they are prosecuted under immigration laws and deported
By Namini Wijedasa, Tharushi Weerasinghe, S. Rubatheesan and Sandun Jayawardana
In June 2024, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) received a tip: in an unauthorised “computer lab” at the Lavinia Hotel in Kudapaduwa, Negombo, Chinese nationals were using Telegram, WhatsApp and other internet apps to conduct suspicious money transactions.
Top secret
The Chinese occupied all three floors of the property for a monthly rent of around Rs 3 million. They used a large room on the topmost level as their office. They financed a new perimeter fence, hired security guards, disabled CCTV and opened a shop inside so residents rarely left. Outsiders were barred.
The Sunday Times examined the full record of the now-concluded case. The hotel proprietor, who turned state witness, said that in January 2024 a woman named “Lisa” asked to lease his property for a “technology institute”. An advance of Rs 27 million was paid. A Malaysian (not the one arrested) is named on the lease agreement.
When the CID breached the building on June 28, the foreigners had locked themselves inside the third-floor “office”. Police gained access after a period of resistance. They immediately arrested 31 people—30 Chinese and one Malaysian. Nine others had fled. The only female suspect had with her the passport of another woman who wasn’t present.
Police informed the Negombo Magistrate’s Court that they seized up to 17 phones per person, several all-in-one computers, two laptops and 19 phones with no identified owner. In the room of the Malaysian suspect were hundreds of unused Dialog SIM cards, in addition to 111 SIMs registered under Sri Lankan names.
Chinese help
The Attorney General’s Department helped direct investigations. Kelaniya University Chinese-language professors were hired as translators. The Chinese Embassy in Colombo provided assistance, including through a Chinese police investigation team that, among other things, extracted extensive evidence from the devices. The findings were turned over to the Sri Lankan government in a report.
The devices showed how the group enticed people into online chats and built relationships with them. There were chat scripts and guides on conducting conversations. The productions included 31 fake Chinese ID cards and passport photos made from one person’s image, with slightly changed ID numbers and dates of birth; a list of foreign bank accounts; and copies of chats in Skype, WeChat and Telegram.
There were at least four conversations with women about daily life. Evidence of Binance activity was also handed over. (Police said money was converted to USDT and moved into foreign accounts).
Extensive data
Data recovered from the devices revealed, among other schemes, a scripted method for cultivating relationships with women online, moving conversations to private messaging and introducing the prospect of additional income.
A “friend-making” guide outlines a persona for a man approaching a woman he has met online. He is presented as a fit, kind-hearted 30-year-old divorcee who is lonely after his wife emigrated. He has a daughter and lives with his parents in Zhuhai, China.
The conversation uses lines such as “fate brought us together”. It suggests moving to a private WeChat because “my work and life are often separate”. The operator is encouraged to offer comfort, compliment the woman’s eyes and lips, and exchange photographs. One suggested line reads, “What I hate most is people who cheat and betray.”
The character claims to sell high-end red wine from a Zhuhai showroom and to have interests in real estate, tourism and prepared dishes. The script then branches according to the woman’s occupation—housewife, employee, stay-at-home mother or self-employed—and whether her income is good or average.
The woman would be asked if she lives alone, the distance between her home and workplace, and whether she drives. The persona claims to own a Porsche Panamera and a Toyota Alphard.
No action on computer crime
The Lavinia Hotel file was one of the more comprehensive court cases the Sunday Times examined in its six-month-long investigation of alleged Chinese-run scam centres in Sri Lanka. Admittedly, the case needed more police work. But it followed a clear procedure, engaged translators, secured official Chinese assistance and presented some evidence, corroborated by Chinese police investigators, that con games were being run.
The CID initially listed the suspects under the Penal Code for having carried out cheating offences; under the Computer Crimes Act; and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. But the Hotel Lavinia case is a textbook example of why Sri Lanka has repeatedly failed to successfully prosecute any transnational cyber scam cases.
The defence maintained the suspects did digital marketing, collecting data and selling it to marketing companies, and that the SIM cards were not in use. They questioned gaps in the evidence.
And they successfully argued that there was no complainant, as required by the cheating sections of the Penal Code.
The suspects were only charged under the Immigration and Emigration Act, either for not having a valid visa or for failing to comply with the conditions of their visa/entry endorsement. Some had expired work visas. The others were on tourist visas. All were deported.
The State said that any computer crime or money laundering charges would be brought in the High Court, not the Magistrate’s Court, and would happen after further investigation, including analysis of the devices by the Government Analyst’s Department and the CID Computer Crimes Division. This hasn’t happened yet.
Sri Lankan victims
Some cases do have Sri Lankan complainants. In August this year, the AG indicted six people in the Colombo High Court over an online investment scheme which alleges it took more than Rs 9.1 million from 15 people, promising them returns in cryptocurrency.
Two of the accused are Sri Lankan. The other four are Chinese, who will be tried in absentia—because when the case (20955/01/24) was before Colombo Chief Magistrate Thilina Gamage, he granted the defence’s request to lift the travel ban imposed on them. And they left the country.
The High Court indictment alleges that the first accused, a Sri Lankan, set up social media groups on WhatsApp and Telegram under the name “Web Lanka Digital Marketing 38″, which he used to promote investment schemes online, claiming those who deposited money would receive returns in cryptocurrency.
Called “TikTok task” scams, recruiters promise high daily earnings for simple online actions, such as liking videos or boosting posts. Small payments are made to build trust. Victims are then persuaded to deposit their own money to access higher-paying tasks or to withdraw supposed earnings. Once larger sums are transferred, accounts are frozen, further payments demanded or victims blocked.
The individual losses of the 15 complainants range from Rs 19,290 to more than Rs 5.85 million. The first accused faces one cheating charge under Section 403 of the Penal Code for each complainant. The other five are each charged with abetting every one of those offences.
The indictment also brings charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, alleging that between June 1 and 24, 2004, in Colombo and Negombo, the accused conspired with others unknown to the prosecution to launder the Rs 9.1 million by receiving or investing it in Sri Lanka or abroad.
Among the 74 witnesses named, one has an address in Nanning, China, while two Pakistanis—who were employed as cooks—are listed with refugee registration numbers issued by the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.
Enter U8
On May 2 this year, the Welikada police raided a heavily guarded seven-storey building in Medawelikada Road, Rajagiriya. They arrested 120 foreigners—89 men and 31 women. Among them were Chinese, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Madagascan, Filipino, Thai and Cambodian nationals.
Of the suspects, 92 entered on business, tourist or residence visas, while 28 allegedly had no travel documents. The DIE told police that business visas do not authorise employment in Sri Lanka.
We attended a hearing at Magistrate’s Court No. 4, Hulftsdorp. Reporting facts was Chief Police Inspector Saman Jayasinghe, then Officer-in-Charge of the Welikada police station.
Reading from the B report—which called the place a “cyber farm”—he alleged the group ran an internet fraud, tricking people into transferring money between bank accounts. Some escaped from the fifth floor, taking laptops and phones with them. Money was found at the scene.
The location was sealed off. Neither the area grama niladhari nor officials of the Kotte Pradeshiya Sabha could enter. Two defence bail lawyers said three other companies connected to the raided operation are King Kong (Pvt) Ltd, Tengle Electronics Technology Co (Pvt) Ltd and Knight Global (Pvt) Ltd.
Computers on the first, second and fifth floors had internet access and were linked to a common server. Each floor had a supervisor, with staff working 6am and 6pm shifts. Some were driven from Kollupitiya, Bambalapitiya and Dehiwala in luxury, air-conditioned vans with darkened windows; others lived on the premises.
The operation provided food, transport and security guards. Seven witnesses gave statements: security guards, cleaners and an electrician, all of whom said they didn’t know what work was being done there.
U8 branding appeared on carpets and serviettes. The online gambling platform offers sports betting, casino games, slots and card games. The same livery was spotted at a Negombo restaurant during our inquiries into suspected scam centres there. U8 branding also features on hoardings along the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway and stickers on three-wheelers. Food was delivered by U8GF.COM, which is an instance of U8.
All suspects were subsequently released. Our attempts to get a case update from police failed.
Whither the police?
On May 27—just 25 days after the raid—CI Jayasinghe was arrested by the Colombo Central Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) allegedly for extorting money from Chinese nationals (of the same case) in exchange for the return of their passports. After a spell in remand, he was transferred to the Police Field Force.
The CCIB investigation alleged that CI Jayasinghe retained 19 passports without recording them as police productions are reporting them to court at the appropriate time. He is accused of using a female intermediary to collect money (allegedly Rs 300,000 for each travel document) from the passport holders.
It was not immediately clear whether charges had been filed in court against the former OIC. It became clear during the course of our reporting that authorities must take a closer look at possible corruption across the police force, in connection with suspected scam centres.
Cybercrime sleuths face uphill task in unravelling scams
Accessing devices and analysing data remain major challenges for Sri Lankan law enforcement.“The volume of devices in each raid is so high, usually about 200 phones and laptops, and we simply do not have the resources to process all of them,” said Assistant Superintendent of Police Chandima Arumapperuma, head of the Computer Crime Investigation Division (CCID).The CCID relies on its own barebones facility and an overburdened Government Analyst’s Department. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation recently sent a small number of devices to Thailand for analysis. The FBI partners with the Royal Thai police and national leadership on intelligence exchanges, joint investigations, and regional anti-scam efforts. The outcome of the analysis is not known.
“We take random samples from every raid and send them either to the Government Analyst, our inhouse facility or CERT [Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team],” ASP Arumapperuma said. The CCID uses phone-reading software, but its licence is limited because of privacy and human rights concerns, and the provider has restricted clearance for Sri Lanka.
“CERT has not given us any reports yet, and this is why courts also don’t have a lot of evidence to rule on and prosecute with,” she said.
A shortage of translators is another obstacle: “The [Chinese] embassy has offered to fund translators but we have trouble finding them, so getting statements from suspects has been hard.”
Suspected scam centres have operated in Colombo and Kandy since 2021/22, ASP Arumapperuma said. Passports of many foreign suspects showed previous travel to Cambodia and Myanmar, established scam hubs. Operations initially centred on rural areas, with raids reported in Mihintale, Anuradhapura, Ambakandawila, Iranawila, Midigama, Hikkaduwa, Aluthgama, Kalpitiya, Negombo, Gandara, Thalalla, Dungalpitiya, Baddegama, Waskaduwa, Teldeniya and Chilaw, among other locations.
One raid earlier this year uncovered signs of “pig-butchering” scams on some devices. These combine online investment and romance fraud, with criminals cultivating victims’ trust and affection over weeks or months before stealing their money.
“We found evidence of fake dating,” ASP Arumapperuma said. “It could be one of the more successfully prosecuted cases. They also had translation machines on site.”
In May, the Sunday Times attended Fort Magistrate’s Court proceedings involving 74 Vietnamese nationals arrested at a Kollupitiya housing complex on Uttarananda Mawatha. The group comprised 41 men and 33 women, aged 19 to 39.
Police alleged they were involved in online financial scams and computer-related offences, in breach of their visa conditions. A Peruvian woman who provided Spanish translation services was also arrested but released on bail earlier. The court was told the purported targets of the scams were Spanish speakers.
Suspects are generally arrested for immigration offences, ASP Arumapperuma said. During raids, virtual servers are often switched off remotely, passwords withheld and physical servers are nowhere to be found. Internet connections typically run through Dialog, SLT or Starlink.
“We have also been unable to trace how the devices enter Sri Lanka, as nobody claims ownership once they are confiscated,” she said.
With inadequate storage facilities, police sometimes have to keep confiscated devices in sealed rooms at the premises where they were found.
“Investigations are underfunded and there are no laws to prosecute,” she said. “The Attorney General says the Computer Crimes Act only applies to Sri Lankans. They recommend deportations, so the onus is on the Immigration Department to ensure those applying for visas have legitimate documents.”
“Not a single scam case has yet been proved in court,” ASP Arumapperuma said. Some suspects are issued “court visas” allowing them to remain in Sri Lanka until proceedings conclude, but these do not prevent them from working. Police have also found no evidence of trafficking, she said.
“And if there is no immigration violation or crime prosecutable under Sri Lankan law, the raids also have no result,” she said.
With the Sunday Times observing a recent decline in police raids, and allegations that the Welikada OIC extorted Chinese nationals, we asked whether corruption was a factor.
“CIABOC [Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption] runs disciplinary inquiries into police officers who are accused or suspected of accepting bribes in relation to scam centres,” ASP Arumapperuma said. “We have not been asked to stop raid but there seem to be less people coming in.”
China court cases highlight Lanka connection
Chinese court judgments provide evidence of links between Sri Lanka and Chinese online fraud networks dating back to at least 2020, with the country variously serving as an operational base, a relocation destination and a market targeted by fraudsters.
Five judgments published on China’s online judicial database, covering offences between 2019 and 2024, detail how criminal groups operated across several countries, recruited participants and moved proceeds from fraud.
The clearest evidence of operations in Sri Lanka comes from a Cixi City Court judgment in Zhejiang Province in January 2021. Seven Chinese nationals convicted in the case travelled to Sri Lanka between February and May 2020 and joined a fraud syndicate organised by individuals identified as “Brother Cai” and “Old Boss Chen”.
The gang lured victims into stock-market discussion groups, posing as investment mentors and successful traders before directing them to deposit money through Fuqiang Securities, a fake trading app. While the defendants were in Sri Lanka, five victims lost a combined RMB 2.517mn (about US$365,000). All seven received prison terms of three to four-and-a-half years and were ordered to pay RMB 595,000 in restitution.
A Shanghai court judgment in August 2025 sentenced a man to four years and three months for fraud, finding that he had joined the Oriental Group, also known as the KG Group, in the Philippines in March 2022. The case points to Sri Lanka becoming a destination for relocated criminal operations.
The group targeted Chinese nationals through social media and investment chat groups, directing them to a fraudulent stock-to-lottery platform and persuading them to make increasingly large deposits. One victim lost more than RMB 2mn and another RMB 4.9mn.
Around October 2024, the group moved from the Philippines to Sri Lanka and Malaysia, with the convict accompanying it. He remained abroad until returning to China in March 2025, when he was arrested. The judgment does not specify which members moved to Sri Lanka or Malaysia, or what the convict did here. Both documented frauds predated the relocation, but his conviction establishes his membership of a group that subsequently moved operations to Sri Lanka.
A third judgment shows Sri Lankans being targeted by a Chinese-based operation. In July 2022, a man identified as Liu X agreed to act as an agent for an online platform called “shopeest”, defrauding people in Sri Lanka. He rented premises in Ji’an, Jiangxi Province, and recruited six others.
The platform offered rebates for completing online tasks but demanded security deposits to advance to higher membership levels. Once sufficient money had been collected, it would shut down and retain the deposits.
Liu persuaded Sri Lankan customers to deposit money and recruit others, while his associates handled administration, technical coordination and customer service. Between July and September 2022, the operation sent 120,694 fraudulent messages before Chinese police uncovered it. All seven were convicted of attempted fraud because the scheme was stopped before money was collected. Liu received five years in prison; the others were sentenced to between 10 months and three years and four months, with some sentences suspended.
A February 2026 Sichuan court judgment identified Colombo as one of the locations where Chuangshi Technology operated and recruited workers between 2021 and 2024. The defendant, however, worked at the group’s sites in Laos and never visited Sri Lanka. He received a seven-month suspended sentence for fraud.
A separate 2021 money-laundering conviction concerned a victim in Sri Lanka who lost RMB 170,904 in an online foreign-exchange investment scam in October 2019. Seven Chinese nationals were convicted of concealing and transferring the proceeds, most of which passed through bank accounts and cash withdrawals in China’s Fujian Province.
None of the five judgments identifies a specific building or company in Sri Lanka, establishes who facilitated the groups’ entry or whether local individuals assisted them, or indicates whether Sri Lankan authorities investigated the activities described.
Computer Crimes Act: Its scope and limitations
Authorities involved in the arrests of suspected scam centre operators claim Sri Lanka’s Computer Crimes Act (CCA)—which was passed in 2007 and never amended—does not cover the offences being committed. Experts, however, dispute this, saying the law is broad enough to prosecute at least some of those involved.
The CCA criminalises unauthorised access to computers and computer systems, the theft, alteration, deletion or interception of data, damage to systems and the misuse of information obtained through unauthorised access. It also covers attempts, aiding and abetting, and conspiracy to commit such offences.
CCID Director Chandima Arumaperuma claimed the AG’s Department had advised law enforcement authorities that only Sri Lankan nationals could be prosecuted under the Act. However, Section 2 expressly extends its application to “a person committing the offence while being present in Sri Lanka or outside Sri Lanka”.
Police Spokesman ASP F.U. Wootler, meanwhile, told the Sunday Times that suspects arrested at scam centres were not being dealt with under the Act because victims had to lodge complaints in person. As most victims were overseas, this posed difficulties, he said.
But the Act does not require victims to be in Sri Lanka. Section 2(d) defines a victim as a person resident in Sri Lanka or overseas.
Former Sri Lanka-CERT Chairman Jayantha Fernando, who once represented Sri Lanka at the Budapest Cybercrime Convention in Strasbourg, said the Act had broad extraterritorial application and could cover computer-related offences committed against victims overseas.
“Section 2 gives the Act broad extraterritorial reach for offences under Sections 3 to 10, including computer-enabled offences such as cheating and criminal misappropriation under other written Sri Lankan laws,” he said.
However, Mr Fernando cautioned that applying the Act would depend on the specific offences and the evidence investigators could establish.
Section 4, which covers offences under other written laws committed using computers or technology, could present interpretation difficulties where the underlying offence is deemed as such in another country. The Interpretation Ordinance defines “written law” in terms of legislation enacted by Sri Lanka’s own legislature, potentially limiting the application of this provision to offences under Sri Lankan law.
Section 3, however, is broadly worded and can cover unauthorised access to information even where the computer system is overseas, Mr. Fernando said. Whether an offence has been committed would depend on whether investigators can establish its specific legal elements.
Other provisions could be relevant. Section 8 criminalises illegal interception, while Section 9 covers the use of devices, including computers and programmes, to commit offences under the Act. This could include using such devices to gain unauthorised access under Section 3.
The Act also provides investigative powers and mechanisms for international cooperation in obtaining electronic evidence, which can be used alongside the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act No. 25 of 2002, amended in 2018.
But Mr Fernando said amendments to the Computer Crimes Act were long overdue. Reforms had been pursued under successive governments, including the present administration, but progress remained slow.
Experts also pointed to shortcomings in investigations, with cases often abandoned before sufficient evidence is collected. The difficulties of obtaining evidence across borders could partly explain why authorities have relied on immigration offences, including visa violations, to deal with foreign nationals arrested at suspected scam centres rather than pursue more complex prosecutions under the Computer Crimes Act.
Port City visas; Commission defends vetting process
The Sunday Times first heard of “Port City visas” when lawyers representing foreigners arrested over suspected scam centres repeatedly raised them in court to legitimise the presence of their clients in the country.
Earlier this month, the Colombo Port City Economic Commission (CPCEC) told Parliament’s Committee on Public Finance it had issued 14,300 visas. A senior law enforcement official told the Sunday Times, confidentially, that Chinese and other foreign nationals arrested over suspected scam operations often have their presence “legitimised” within a week or two through letters identifying them as employees of Port City-based business process outsourcing (BPO) firms. “Somehow, these people are managing to get work visas, also,” he said. It is relevant here to point out that there are no buildings in Port City. Therefore, these operations—with their tax incentives—currently operate in other parts of the country.
Since 2021, the CPCEC has not formally investigated or referred any Authorised Person (AP) for suspected fraud, money laundering, cybercrime, suspicious transactions or visa misuse. (APs are individuals or companies licensed by the CPCEC to conduct business within, and from, the Colombo Port City Special Economic Zone).
Separately, CPCEC was aware of one police-initiated proceeding involving an AP and had received a police request for information, it said, in response to questions from the Sunday Times. It did not disclose the nature of the case, the agency involved or its current status.
On allegations of scam compounds, coercive recruitment, confiscation of passports, forced criminality and human trafficking, the Commission said it had received no reports from the Sri Lanka police indicating that APs were conducting scam-related activities from their approved premises.
The Commission said investigating human trafficking, forced criminality, coercive recruitment and other offences was the responsibility of police and other competent authorities, pledging cooperation within its statutory mandate.
The CPCEC said it had introduced layered vetting of foreign visa applicants, screening companies, shareholders and directors through LexisNexis Risk Solutions for sanctions, politically exposed persons, adverse media and law-enforcement information. Checks also cover beneficial ownership, overseas business activities, operating history, source of investment funds and financial capacity.
Sponsoring companies must screen foreign recruits and submit police clearance certificates issued within three months and authenticated by a diplomatic mission. The CPCEC will reject recommendations where applicants have criminal records and cross-check employment contracts, passport details and job designations against approved manpower plans.
New measures include cyber-abuse and cybercrime audits of relevant APs and monthly risk reporting, supplementing licensing checks, annual renewals and compliance reviews. The Commission did not disclose how many audits had been conducted.
APs employing foreigners must file monthly reports and provide the nearest police station with employee lists and residential addresses for each location.
Visa requests or foreign staff numbers exceeding approved manpower plans without justification and operations from premises not approved under the CPCEC Act could trigger compliance reviews. The Commission did not disclose how many reviews, if any, had been conducted.
The Commission can demand explanations and supporting documents and take regulatory action where an AP’s actual operations differ from its declared activities. It did not say whether any such action had been taken.
The CPCEC said it monitored media reports, issued notices to APs on emerging concerns and shared information on designated locations with law-enforcement agencies. It acknowledged the Commission has no formal information-sharing agreements with foreign police, financial intelligence units or regulators, although certain foreign diplomatic missions have shared information informally.
The Commission was working towards memoranda of understanding with relevant domestic agencies and regulators to formalise information exchange, inter-agency coordination and referrals for investigation or regulatory intervention.
The CPCEC said it had received no formal foreign alert naming an AP as involved in overseas scams and had identified no AP running an online gambling platform, call centre, cryptocurrency investment scheme, online trading operation or social-media fraud operation, or engaging in activities materially different from those for which it was authorised.
The DIE has final authority over visas and entry into Sri Lanka; the CPCEC only makes recommendations, which do not guarantee the right to enter, reside or work in the country, the Commission states. The DIE is responsible for further immigration and security checks, including screening immigration histories, Interpol records, international police notices and information from local and foreign law-enforcement agencies. Even a valid landing endorsement does not guarantee entry. Immigration officers can still refuse admission, as they did in August 2025 when five foreign nationals employed by two Port City companies were deported despite having CPCEC-recommended endorsements.
As concerns grow over scams’ incursion into economy, Govt denies Lanka becoming a hubSri Lanka has a situation: a rapid incursion of Chinese-led cyber scam syndicates and cyber scammers into its economy. The government needs to recognise and articulate the problem and provide a policy response.
There is no hiding it. International research has been—and will continue to be—published. The subject is increasingly discussed in diplomatic circles. And in March this year, even the Chinese government acknowledged it.
“China is closely following the recent reports that Sri Lankan law enforcement agencies arrested a number of foreign suspects of online fraud, including Chinese nationals,” a statement from the Chinese Embassy in Colombo said. “Cases like these pose immense harm, and the Chinese Embassy provides full support to Sri Lankan law enforcement agencies in resolutely cracking down on suspects while protecting their legitimate rights and interests in accordance with the law.”
“Due to Sri Lanka’s well-developed telecommunications infrastructure, favourable geographical location, relatively lenient visa policies, as well as the kindness and friendliness of its people, some telecom fraud criminal gangs have moved to Sri Lanka and continue to engage in fraud activities targeting Chinese citizens at home and abroad,” it continued. “That’s why such cases have been increasing in Sri Lanka recently.”
The government has taken note, as recent closed-door meetings suggest. But has it acted? In an interview with the Sunday Times, Deputy Finance Minister Anil Jayantha Fernando acknowledged that scams exist in Sri Lanka but rejected claims that the country was becoming a scam hub.
Scams were “isolated things” and not unique to Sri Lanka. “When there is a negative report, we are worried,” he said, rejecting outright that Sri Lanka has become a hub for scammers. “The IMF never mentioned anything about these scammers in its reports.”
“Some companies are legal,” he maintained. “Then, there could be so many different things unknown to us. That’s the reality.” He acknowledged that Sri Lanka was sometimes weak in its legal framework, technological capabilities, institutional support and capacity.
The minister dismissed speculation that the administration was turning a blind eye because scam operations brought money into the economy. He accused the media of sometimes fabricating stories to undermine a government that was “performing very well”.
“The government is trying hard to establish a very authentic and legal business centre,” he stressed.
Asked what the fix was, the minister said gambling regulation (as it is assumed suspected scammers are mostly providing back-office support to online gambling operations). A “responsible” gambling framework was currently being drawn up with assistance from foreign consultants. It should be ready by the end of 2026.
“We are trying hard to establish a conducive environment, a level playing field and a legitimate environment for investors, especially when it comes to gambling and gaming,” the minister said. “Once we have the regulations, anyone who wants to be in gaming, gambling or related industries can apply and will be approved after vetting.”
The government will not restrict foreign arrivals or investment because of the risk of scammers and gamblers entering the country. International mobility was essential to keeping the economy open. While acknowledging possible weaknesses in screening and enforcement, the minister invited the media to identify gaps that needed attention, saying regulations would be strengthened where necessary.
“In simple terms, our objective is not to curtail opportunities and possibilities of investments in the entertainment industry but to prevent illegal businesses or scammers,” he concluded.
Given the proliferation of suspected scam centres—as we observed over the past few months—the time to act is now.
Police call for vigilance
Police Spokesman ASP F.U. Wootler said some foreigners do overstay their visas in Sri Lanka while others engage in criminal activities. Deportation, repatriation and extradition are under the purview of the Department of Immigration and Emigration.
“We have directed the Sri Lankan community, even the foreign community, to keep us alerted, keep the police informed, of any perpetrator, any violation, any criminal activity that is taking place by any foreign national,” he said. Recent raids and arrest prove foreign nationals have violated immigration rules and regulations. Most were deported, repatriated or extradited.
ASP Wootler encouraged houseowners or commercial building proprietors to notify the nearest police station of suspicious arrivals, or any foreigners “who are into scams or illegal activities”.
The difficulty in prosecuting anyone under the Computer Crime Act was that “most of the victims are foreigners.”
“When that happens, there is no complaint,” he said. “This is one of the challenges we confront. However, when a complaint is lodged or received to Sri Lanka through any source of communication, we will initiate investigations accordingly.”
“Five or six cases are in court right now,” he said, without specifics. “We have not had a successful prosecution yet. The reason is all these digital data are not in Sri Lanka. They are overseas. To proceed in a court of law, you need sufficient digital evidence. Complainants are overseas. They don’t come with the relevant evidence or material to go ahead in a court of law.”
“I would say, at this juncture, the government is very much concerned,” he asserted. “We are not allowing Sri Lanka, as a nation, to be a hub for any criminal scams.”
Source:Sunday Times.lk
