Following strict crackdowns in Cambodia and Myanmar, Chinese-led international cyber scam syndicates are shifting their operations and choosing Sri Lanka as their new sanctuary.
According to Sri Lankan police and customs officials, the activities of online fraud and cybercrime networks have increased at an alarming rate in recent months.
A report by Nikkei Asia highlights that law enforcement agencies have uncovered multiple cyber scam operations run by foreign nationals during several raids conducted this year in the capital, Colombo, and various other cities.
In mid-June, 18 Chinese nationals were detained during a raid in Colombo. Prior to this, in May, another 37 Chinese nationals were arrested in a separate operation in the suburbs.
Sri Lanka Police spokesperson and Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Frederick Utler, stated, “Cyber fraud incidents are rising at an alarming rate. We have raided buildings and apartments rented by these syndicates and have urged the public to remain vigilant.”
Beyond police raids, Sri Lankan customs officials are also playing an active role in curbing these crimes. Last April, nine Chinese nationals were detained at Colombo’s main international airport for attempting to smuggle a massive cache of communication and electronic equipment. The seized items included 383 used mobile phones, 101 tablets, and six Wi-Fi routers.
According to police data, more than 700 foreign nationals have been detained in cyber fraud-related raids so far this year, compared to 430 in 2024. Among those detained are citizens from China, India, Nepal, Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
Mahil Dole, the former head of the counter-terrorism division of Sri Lanka’s State Intelligence Service, warned that the country is facing a new breed of transnational organized crime that exploits digital technology, weak regulatory frameworks, and outdated laws.
He emphasized that without swift action, Sri Lanka could transform from being merely a victim of cybercrime into a major operational hub for international digital crime syndicates.
Experts suggest that these criminal syndicates began pivoting toward Sri Lanka in 2023, following an intense crackdown on offshore online gambling and scam networks in the Philippines. The relocation accelerated even further due to rising instability in Cambodia and the Myanmar-Thailand border regions.
Reports from the United Nations, the United States, and China reveal that these international scam syndicates siphon off billions of dollars worldwide through romance scams (pig-butchering), fake investment schemes, and online gambling. The U.S. Department of the Treasury reported that in 2024 alone, Southeast Asia-based scam networks caused losses of nearly $10 billion to U.S. citizens.
Analysts believe that tackling these highly organized and agile syndicates, which are capable of relocating rapidly, has now become a monumental challenge for international law enforcement agencies.
Jonoprashashon/KA/28/06
