Sri Lankan police release 25 Chinese suspects held in online fraud; probe underway

The Sri Lanka police have released 25 Chinese suspects, who were involved in an alleged online financial fraud, but have continued to probe the crime. "They have been released on bail and despite that the investigation has been going on," said police spokesman Nihal Thalduwa, reported local newspaper. While sharing more details about the case, Thalduwa asserted that the detectives from the police computer crime division had yet to complete their investigations as they were required to study a large number of electronic devices taken into custody alongside the suspects.

Probe into the online fraud underway 

It is to be noted that on April 14, the Kalutara Magistrate, Sri Lanka ordered the release of the 25 Chinese suspects on surety bail of Rs 500,000 each. According to the MawrataNews, the next hearing on this case has been scheduled for June 14. Further, a separate investigation is being carried out by the Aluthgama Police. One of the suspects out of 25 has been fined Rs 500,000 for possessing illegal cigarettes and on Wednesday, he paid the fine. In Sri Lanka, the Aluthgama police took at least 39 Chinese people in their custody in relation to online money fraud, reported Daily Mirror.

According to the police officer's statment, these suspects have stolen millions of dollars from online accounts belonging to people in various nations over several months. The accused group of people have been staying at a resort in Kaluamodara, Aluthgama, and have been detained as a result of complaints made to multiple embassies, as per the Daily Mirror news report. Further as per the English Daily News, the detained Chinese nationals were being transported to the Alutgama police, where authorities had seized multiple smartphones and cash from their possession. This has been the second time that such a crime has taken place in a time span of one week involving Chinese nationals being detained abroad for online fraud.