In response to a surge in online financial frauds involving foreign nationals, including Chinese citizens, Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has sought assistance from the Chinese Special Criminal Investigation Unit.
Recently, numerous Chinese nationals were arrested across the island on charges of online financial fraud. However, the investigations faced challenges as the data on the suspects’ laptops and mobile phones were in Chinese, complicating efforts by local authorities.
To address this issue, with the intervention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sri Lanka Police requested support from the Chinese Special Criminal Investigation Unit. Consequently, 10 officers from the unit have arrived in the country and are now collaborating with the Sri Lankan CID.
An agreement to formalize this cooperation was reached on Monday, with Deputy Inspector General of the CID Rohan Premaratne and CID Director SSP Mangala Dehideniya present.
In June 2024, the CID arrested a group of Chinese and Indian nationals involved in financial fraud through online platforms while residing in Sri Lanka. A total of 137 suspects, including 31 Chinese nationals, were apprehended. During the operations, authorities seized 158 mobile phones, 16 laptops, and 60 desktop computers from some of the suspects.
Source – dailymirror.lk
