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Rise of Cyber-Crime Related Arrests (2026)
Number of foreign nationals arrested for cyber-scam operations in Sri Lanka during Q1 2026.
Primary Sources
THE SCAM CENTRE INVASION: How Sri Lanka Became a New Global Cybercrime ...
Sri Lanka is rapidly emerging as one of Southeast Asia’s newest scam hubs. As regional crackdowns intensify—most notably in Cambodia—international cybercrime networks have simply relocated. Sri Lanka, with its infrastructure strengths and regulatory gaps, has become an attractive new base of operations. Why Sri Lanka? Organised scam syndicates did not arrive by accident. They found favourable conditions: Free tourist visas for citizens of China, India, Russia, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Japan 30-day visas are extendable up to six months, allowing long-term operations under the guise of tourism Reliable telecom and internet infrastructure capable of supporting high-volume scam activity Low-cost apartments and hotels, ideal for setting up concealed scam centres Outdated cybercrime laws that do not effectively address modern fraud methods, such as “pig butchering” romance-investment scams or crypto-related fraud These factors combined to create an environment where sophisticated cybercriminal operations could flourish with minimal resistance. THE RAIDS: 2026 Tells the Story In just the first few months of 2026, Sri Lankan authorities uncovered multiple large-scale scam centres: March 2026: 135 Chinese nationals arrested for operating scam operations April 2026: 152 foreign nationals—mostly Chinese—arrested at a hotel in Chilaw, north-western Sri Lanka, running a fully operational scam centre 2 May 2026 (Rajagiriya, Colombo): 120 foreign nationals were arrested from a multi-storey apartment on Meda Welikada Road Nationals from China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Madagascar Large quantities of laptops and mobile phones were seized 3 May 2026 (Talangama, Colombo): 37 Chinese nationals arrested 35 tablets, 147 mobile phones, and 100 SIM cards confiscated In Q1 of 2026 alone, arrests exceeded over 50% of all cyber-scam-related arrests recorded in 2025. If this trend continues, Sri Lanka could see 600+ such cases by the end of the year, more than double the combined figures of 2024 and 2025. WHILE SCAMMERS OPERATED FROM SRI LANKA, SRI LANKA WAS HACKED Even as foreign scammers operated from within the country, Sri Lanka itself became a target. Between December 2025 and March 2026, hackers infiltrated the Ministry of Finance’s External Resources Department email systems. Five official payment tranches were intercepted USD 2.5 million, intended for Australia’s debt repayment, was diverted to unknown accounts Australia o...
Sri Lankan Influencer Builds Vast UK-targeted Network of Anti-Migrant ...
Investigation finds over 100 pages spreading disinformation for profit, fuelling UK online hate and far-right themesA network of more than one hundred Facebook pages targeting the United Kingdom with anti-migrant and Islamist-connected disinformation has been linked to Sri Lankan influencer Geeth Sooriyapura. The pages, which collectively had over 1.6 million followers, featured AI-generated imagery, false claims about migrants and Muslims, and adverts disguised as grassroots content. According to an investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, Sooriyapura operated an “academy” model teaching students to create pages and monetise them via Facebook’s advertising network. He claimed earnings of around three hundred thousand dollars and encouraged targeting older British audiences using “immigration” and “white identity” themes. Examples of posts included fabricated imagery of UK political figures and provocative messages such as “welfare for British citizens only”. The content frequently portrayed migrants as invaders and leveraged AI-generated visuals and false headlines. Some pages shared images of the UK Prime Minister in Muslim dress despite no photographic evidence of such a scenario. While some pages have since been removed by Meta for “inauthentic behaviour”, many remain live and continue to attract engagement. UK-based far-right figures and official pages from the Reform UK party appeared to interact with content from the network, including resharing posts, suggesting the disinformation ecosystem had penetrated mainstream political channels. One Reform UK councillor commented approvingly on an AI-generated image created by the network. MPs have called for urgent regulation to tackle the monetisation of hate online, pointing to this case as a clear demonstration of how foreign or non-state actors can profit from spreading divisive content. The network’s growth underscores how AI tools, social media monetisation and partisan messaging can combine to undermine digital-and electoral integrity. Meta said it had removed pages linked to the actor’s network that violated platform policies. However, analysts warn that removal of some pages does not erase the broader infrastructure—including training modules, copycat pages and business models built on hate and engagement. As lawmakers in London prepare to legislate tighter rules for online platforms and foreign-actor interference, this case adds urgency and ...
More foreigners arrested in Sri Lanka cyber crime crackdown
The 41 men and 33 women, aged between 19 and 39, are charged with violating visit visas and indulging in cyber related financial fraud. On May 5, police said 628 foreigners, including Indians, Chinese, Vietnamese, Myanmar, Philippines and Cambodian nationals, were arrested for their involvement in cybercrime operations in Sri Lanka so far in ...
Indians among over 600 foreigners arrested for cybercrime in Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan police have arrested over 600 foreigners, including Indian nationals, for cybercrime this year. Most of the arrested individuals were tourist visa overstayers, apprehended in popular Colombo suburbs. Authorities urge the public to report tenants to aid security efforts against these international syndicates.
