CAMBODIA CRACKDOWN PUSHES SCAM GANGS TO SRI LANKA

Sri Lankan law enforcement has ramped up operations targeting relocated scam gangs, with arrests exceeding 1,000 individuals this year. The gangs have set up operations in beach resorts and office buildings across the country, exploiting the shift in enforcement priorities. Cambodia's sustained crackdown on scam compounds—which proliferated in recent years—has made the country less hospitable for large-scale fraud operations. The displacement reflects a broader pattern of criminal activity migrating to jurisdictions with weaker enforcement capacity or regulatory gaps. Sri Lankan authorities say the arrested individuals were involved in online fraud schemes targeting victims globally. The country's tourism infrastructure and relatively loose business registration requirements have made it an attractive alternative for networks previously based in Cambodia. The shift highlights challenges in combating transnational cybercrime, where enforcement in one region simply redirects criminal activity elsewhere rather than eliminating it entirely. Regional coordination between law enforcement agencies remains limited.