August 03, Colombo (LNW): In response to a significant rise in online financial fraud involving foreign nationals, particularly Chinese citizens, the Sri Lankan Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has enlisted the support of the Chinese Special Criminal Investigation Unit to bolster their investigative efforts.
The collaboration comes amidst increasing arrests of Chinese nationals linked to online financial scams across various parts of the island.
The CID’s investigations faced substantial challenges due to the suspects’ laptops and mobile phones containing data primarily in Chinese, impeding local authorities’ ability to proceed effectively.
To overcome this language barrier, the Sri Lankan Police, with the intervention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, requested assistance from the Chinese Special Criminal Investigation Unit.
This request has resulted in the arrival of ten Chinese officers, who are now working closely with the CID to advance the investigations.
The formal agreement for this collaborative effort was finalised earlier this week, with key figures including Deputy Inspector General of the CID, Rohan Premaratne, and CID Director, SSP Mangala Dehideniya, attending the event.
This initiative follows a major crackdown in June 2024, during which the CID apprehended a large group of Chinese and Indian nationals involved in financial fraud through online platforms while operating from within Sri Lanka. A total of 137 individuals, including 31 Chinese nationals, were detained during these operations.
The police also confiscated a significant amount of equipment, including 158 mobile phones, 16 laptops, and 60 desktop computers, further underscoring the scale of the fraudulent activities.
