February 24, Colombo (LNW): Sixteen Chinese men have been taken into custody in Colombo on suspicion of operating an illicit online investment scheme while remaining in the country beyond the terms of their visas.
Officers from the Cinnamon Gardens Police carried out the arrests following intelligence suggesting that a group of foreign nationals were conducting questionable financial activities from rented properties in the capital. The suspects had been living temporarily in residences along Jawatta Road in Colombo 05 and Don Carolis Road.
Police sources said a specialised team from the Crimes Division moved in after receiving credible information from the Officer-in-Charge. During coordinated raids on the properties, officers detained all sixteen individuals without incident.
A substantial quantity of electronic equipment was seized from the premises, including more than twenty laptop computers, several mobile telephones, internet routers and voice-altering devices believed to have been used to conceal identities during online communications. Authorities also confiscated thousands of foreign-manufactured cigarettes reportedly brought into the country under duty-free concessions.
Preliminary inquiries indicate that the suspects are alleged to have maintained contact with associates overseas while operating from Sri Lanka. Investigators believe they may have targeted individuals in multiple countries through sophisticated pyramid-style schemes, promising high returns on investments that never materialised.
Immigration officials have been notified, and further investigations are under way to determine the full extent of the operation, including possible financial links abroad. The suspects are expected to be produced before court as inquiries continue.