(LankaXpress.com) Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has successfully dismantled a large-scale cyber scamming operation, arresting 40 foreign nationals involved in internet-based financial fraud. The arrests were made in the early hours of October 6, during a raid on a hotel and a private establishment in the Hanwella area.
Among those apprehended are 30 Chinese nationals, four Indians, and six Thais. The group was conducting illegal investment scams primarily through Facebook, preying on unsuspecting victims from East Asian countries, including China, Indonesia, and Thailand. A total of 499 mobile phones, 24 laptops, and 29 desktop computers were seized during the raid.
Authorities have also linked the group to “pig butchering” scams, a fraudulent scheme where victims are manipulated into investing large sums of money in fake ventures, only to lose it all. This scam has been notorious for targeting individuals over prolonged periods, cultivating trust before the financial blow.
The CID’s swift action follows concerns over a rise in cybercrime in the region, with this incident drawing parallels to similar scamming operations recently uncovered in Myanmar. Investigations are ongoing.