Chinese National Murder Case Fuels Sri Lanka’s Fraud Crackdown

Sri Lankan police are searching for six suspects in connection with the killing of a Chinese national allegedly linked to computer-related scams, as authorities intensify a crackdown on cybercrime centres tied to international fraud networks. 

Authorities have arrested about 700 foreign nationals this year, Indians, Chinese, Nepalis and Vietnamese among them, or nearly double the 2025 figure, from hotels, rented houses and apartments nationwide, police data showed. 

Police believe the Chinese national, whose body was retrieved a week ago from the town of Eheliyagoda, about 60 km from Colombo, was abducted in the island nation’s commercial capital.

Cybercrime Crackdown Expands

“Three suspects linked to the murder are believed to be in Sri Lanka and we have imposed a travel ban on them,” police spokesman Frederick Wootler told Reuters.

“Three suspects who managed to leave the country are being traced with support from Interpol.”

Two Chinese nationals linked to the murder have been arrested and will be presented in court on August 4, he added, while declining to reveal the identity of the victim.

He is suspected to be part of a larger group of Chinese nationals linked to computer-related scams, two police sources told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

China Offers Cooperation

The Chinese foreign ministry did not comment directly on the case, but said on Friday that Beijing was willing to strengthen cooperation with all countries to jointly combat cross-border crime.

The Chinese embassy in Colombo did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The nationwide raids turned up hundreds of mobile telephones, laptops and desktop computers, leading authorities to suspect the foreign nationals had ties to cybercrime networks, they said.

Most of those arrested appeared in court before being deported for overstaying their visas or for working on tourist visas.

(With inputs from Reuters)

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