Sri Lanka Arrests Nine Chinese Nationals Over Alleged Cyberscam Equipment Smuggling

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Colombo: Sri Lankan authorities have arrested nine Chinese nationals at the country’s main international airport for allegedly attempting to smuggle in communication equipment linked to cyberscam operations, Customs officials said on Wednesday.

The arrests come just two weeks after police detained 152 foreign nationals—mostly Chinese—suspected of running a large-scale cyberscam operation from a hotel in the island’s north-west.

According to a Customs spokesperson, officers recovered a significant haul of electronic devices from the suspects, including 383 used mobile phones, 101 tablet computers, six Wi-Fi routers, and multiple GPS trackers. The equipment, valued at approximately 24 million Sri Lankan rupees (around S$97,000), had reportedly been taped to the bodies of the individuals and was subsequently confiscated.

Responding to the incident, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun stated in Beijing that China is willing to cooperate with Sri Lanka to combat criminal activities, including online fraud. The Chinese Embassy in Colombo also said it is working closely with local authorities to prevent its nationals from engaging in scam operations in the country.

In a separate case on the same day, Sri Lankan officials arrested six additional Chinese passengers who were allegedly attempting to smuggle 75,900 cigarettes concealed in their luggage. The cigarettes, valued at 11.3 million rupees, were seized.

Authorities say organised criminal networks have increasingly used locations across Southeast Asia—including hotels, casinos, and secured compounds—to run sophisticated online scams. These operations often involve fraudulent cryptocurrency investments and fake romantic schemes targeting victims worldwide, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.