Sri Lankan police have detained 198 Chinese nationals suspected of running a cybercrime operation from within the country, according to a police spokesperson on Sunday.

Deputy Inspector-General Nihal Thalduwa reported that the arrests took place at four different sites during raids conducted since October 6, with 129 suspects apprehended in a single raid on Saturday.

Thalduwa added that numerous mobile phones and laptop computers were confiscated.

“We suspect they were conducting online scams from these locations,” Thalduwa stated during a press conference in Colombo.

He noted that the victims targeted were both in Sri Lanka and abroad.

Investigations are progressing slowly due to language barriers during the interrogations, prompting authorities to seek assistance from the Chinese embassy in Colombo.

Forensic specialists are currently examining the electronic devices.

In a similar crackdown in June, police had detained around 200 suspects, mostly Indians, for allegedly engaging in online financial fraud.

Thalduwa mentioned that the suspects had entered Sri Lanka as tourists and were found to be overstaying their visas in most instances.