A group of foreign nationals accused of engaging in financial scams while staying in the country in violation of visa conditions has been arrested in separate raids carried out in Colombo and Matara, according to Police.

In the first incident, a team of officers attached to the Kollupitiya Police Station arrested a total of 74 foreign nationals, including 41 male suspects and 33 female suspects, during a raid carried out last evening (06) at a housing complex in the Uttarananda Mawatha area of Kollupitiya.

Police said the suspects are Vietnamese nationals aged between 19 and 39, and the Kollupitiya Police are conducting further investigations.

Meanwhile, the Divisional Crime Detective Bureau of Matara arrested six more foreign national suspects including a female suspect during a raid carried out at a hotel in the Talalla area of Gandara, last evening.

According to the police, the suspects had allegedly engaged in financial fraud while staying in the country without valid visas. 

The police stated that these suspects had been arrested for conducting businesses while staying in the country on tourist visas and for possession of foreign cigarettes.

The suspects have been identified as Taiwanese and Chinese nationals aged between 25 and 40.

Gandara Police are conducting further investigations into the incident.