Sri Lanka Police on Sunday warned that strict legal action will be taken against landlords who provide houses, buildings or lodging to foreign nationals who have overstayed their visas or violated immigration laws.
The warning followed a series of raids on May 2 and 3 that led to the arrest of nearly 157 foreign nationals over alleged involvement in cyber scam operations in the suburbs of Colombo. The figure consolidates two recent enforcement actions: around 120 foreigners detained in Rajagiriya over illegal financial operations, and 37 Chinese nationals remanded after a Thalangama bust where police seized desktops, tablets and mobile phones used in alleged online scams.
Authorities said property owners who knowingly or negligently accommodate visa overstayers would face legal consequences under existing immigration and criminal laws, according to Newswire. The directive marks the first time police have publicly named landlords as a target of the cyber-scam crackdown rather than restricting enforcement to the foreign suspects themselves.
During the operations, police seized computers, mobile phones and other equipment believed to have been used in the alleged cyber fraud activities. Investigations are ongoing to identify those connected to the network, including individuals who may have facilitated accommodation for the suspects.
Police did not specify what charges landlords could face or whether arrests under the warning are imminent.
