Sri Lankan authorities have detained nine Chinese nationals after discovering a large quantity of electronic devices suspected to be linked to scam operations during an airport inspection.
According to local reports, the group arrived early Thursday (April 16) at Bandaranaike International Airport from Kunming. Customs officers found that the individuals had taped numerous electronic communication devices to their bodies and concealed them under their clothing in an attempt to evade detection.
Seized items included 383 mobile phones, 101 tablet devices and six Wi-Fi routers, with an estimated total value of 24.02 million Sri Lankan rupees (approximately HK$570,000 or around RM340,000). Authorities believe the equipment may have been intended for use in online fraud or cybercrime activities.
In a separate incident on the same day, six other Chinese nationals were arrested for attempting to smuggle nearly 75,900 cigarettes into the country. The cigarettes, valued at about 11.38 million rupees (around HK$270,000 or approximately RM160,000), were found hidden in luggage carried by passengers arriving on three different flights at Katunayake Airport.
Sri Lankan customs officials confirmed that investigations into both cases are ongoing, as authorities continue efforts to combat cross-border smuggling and cyber-related crimes.
Meanwhile, China’s Foreign Ministry responded to queries regarding the arrests, stating it was not aware of the specific case. However, spokesperson Guo Jiakun reiterated that Chinese citizens abroad are required to comply with local laws and regulations, and emphasised China’s willingness to cooperate internationally to tackle crimes including online scams.
