Sri Lanka Police have urged property owners to exercise vigilance when renting or leasing houses, apartments, commercial buildings, and other premises, as such properties may be misused for fraudulent and criminal activities. 

Issuing a statement, the Police said that it has been observed that certain individuals and organized groups obtain residential and commercial properties on a short-term or long-term rental basis and use them to carry out a range of unlawful activities.

Pointing out that in many instances, owners are unaware of the illegal operations taking place on their premises, the Police said that as a result, they may face significant legal complications and, in some cases, criminal liability.

The Police further state that during the past year and up to 2026, there has been a notable increase in the arrest of foreign nationals involved in sophisticated online financial fraud operations. 

These activities have been conducted covertly from housing complexes, hotels, and lodges in various parts of the island. In several cases, suspects were found to be in violation of the Department of Immigration and Emigration regulations, and computers and other electronic equipment used in the commission of these offences were seized. The Department of Immigration and Emigration and the Sri Lanka Police have taken legal action against those responsible, they said.

As such, the Police cautioned that to safeguard themselves from such situations, members of the public are advised to take note of the following:  

• Under Section 76 of the Police Ordinance, the police are empowered to obtain information regarding all individuals residing in a household. 
• The head of the household is required to provide details of family members, domestic staff, and temporary occupants to the relevant police station.  
• Any change in occupancy, including the arrival or departure of residents, must be promptly reported to the nearest police station.  
• Failure to comply with these legal requirements constitutes a punishable offence. 

The Police further stated that information regarding suspicious premises or individuals may also be reported through the members of the Public Safety Committees established within each police division. 

Property owners are strongly advised to verify the identity, background, and purpose of prospective tenants before entering into rental or lease agreements. Taking these precautions can significantly reduce the risk of fraud and other criminal activities and help owners avoid unnecessary legal and personal difficulties, they advised.

The Sri Lanka Police went on to state that it continues to conduct ongoing operations to detect and apprehend those involved in such offences. 

They added that the public is requested to report any information concerning local or foreign fraudsters, smugglers, criminals, or any unlawful and anti-social activities to the police emergency hotlines 119 or 118, or to the nearest police station without delay. (Newswire)

The post Police urge property owners to vet tenants due to rise in fraud operations appeared first on Newswire.

Myanmar’s military has raided a major online scam operation near the border with Thailand, detaining more than 2,000 people and seizing dozens of Starlink satellite internet terminals, state media has reported.

According to a report in Monday’s Myanma Alinn newspaper, Myanmar’s army raided KK Park, a well-documented cybercrime centre, as part of operations starting in early September to suppress online fraud, illegal gambling, and cross-border cybercrime.

It published photos displaying seized Starlink equipment and soldiers said to be carrying out the raid, though it was unclear when exactly they were taken.

The army ascertained that more than 260 buildings were unregistered, and seized equipment, including 30 sets of Starlink satellite internet terminals, the newspaper reported. It said 2,198 individuals were detained, though it did not give their nationalities.

Myanmar is notorious for hosting scam operations responsible for defrauding people all over the world. These usually involve gaining victims’ confidence online with romantic ploys and bogus investment pitches.

The centres are infamous for recruiting workers from other countries under false pretences, promising them legitimate jobs and then holding them captive and forcing them to carry out criminal activities.

Scam operations were in the international spotlight last week when the United States and Britain enacted sanctions against the alleged organisers of a major Cambodian cyberscam gang, and its alleged ringleader was indicted by a federal court in New York.

KK Park is located on the outskirts of Myawaddy, a major trading town on the border with Thailand in Myanmar’s Kayin state. The area is only loosely under the control of Myanmar’s military government, and also falls under the influence of ethnic minority militias.

There have been previous crackdowns on cyberscam operations in Myanmar earlier this year and in 2023.

Pressure from China saw Thailand and Myanmar launch an operation in February in which they released thousands of trafficked people from scam compounds, working with the ethnic armed groups that rule Myanmar’s border areas. (AP/ The Guardian)

The post Over 2000 persons detained as Myanmar military raids notorious scam compound appeared first on Newswire.