Cyber crimes by foreigners residing in the country are on the rise

Police Media Spokesman, Assistant Superintendent of Police M.U. Wuttler revealed yesterday (07) that there has been a rapid increase in foreigners residing in Sri Lanka engaging in cybercrimes.He stated this while participating in a special media briefing held at the Government Information Department in Narahenpita, and an appeal was made to the public to invariably inform the police when renting out houses and buildings.

According to data from the Computer Crimes Division, a significant increase in cybercrimes has been reported in the country during the years 2025 and 2026. The Police Media Spokesman pointed out that, especially compared to the year 2024, the number of such crimes has grown significantly this year. Due to the public acting without proper attention to their responsibilities, various fraudsters have been able to achieve their objectives very easily.

Over the past two to three weeks, the police have succeeded in apprehending many foreigners from various parts of the island. This group has been arrested for immigration violations as well as computer crimes. Accordingly, from January 1, 2026, to date, 628 foreigners have been arrested in operations conducted across the island for various offenses. These special raids were carried out targeting areas such as Kurunduwatta, Mount Lavinia, Negombo, Poddala, Chilaw, and Koswatta, and the arrested individuals include Indian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Myanmar, Filipino, and Cambodian nationals.

Against such a backdrop, the police emphasize the need for greater vigilance when renting out or leasing a house, building, hotel, or any institutional premises. If a property is rented out to any party, the public is obliged to inform the nearest police station about it, and they should also be ready to provide information about the tenants at any time. The Police Media Spokesman further clarified that by acting without proper scrutiny, property owners will also have to bear the responsibility for illegal activities carried out by foreigners residing in those places, and they too will become unnecessarily culpable.