Sri Lanka faces growing cybercrime threat as more than 1,000 suspects are arrested

From the report

Sri Lanka is facing an escalating threat from transnational cybercrime syndicates, with police arresting more than 1,000 suspected scam operators in 2026 but failing to secure a single successful prosecution against individuals accused of running international fraud operations from the country.

The development has raised concerns that the South Asian island nation could become a major destination for criminal networks relocating from Southeast Asia, where authorities have intensified crackdowns on large-scale online scam centers. Experts warn that outdated legislation, limited investigative resources and economic vulnerabilities could allow these networks to establish a stronger foothold in Sri Lanka.

A September 2026 report by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) identified Sri Lanka as being at serious risk of becoming a hub for industrial-scale cyber scams.