Nepal deports 122 Chinese nationals after cyber raid

By AFP
09 January 2020
Nepal deports 122 Chinese nationals after cyber raid
Chinese nationals, arrested on suspicion of operating a large-scale cyber fraud operation, are being escorted to a police vehicle for deportation in Kathmandu on January 8, 2020. (AFP Photo/PRAKASH MATHEMA)

Nepal on Wednesday deported 122 Chinese nationals who were arrested on suspicion of operating a large-scale cyber fraud operation in Kathmandu, officials said.

Police made the arrests last month in raids on nine houses that were set up like hostels with large kitchens, bunk beds and rows of tables and chairs for working.

Acting on a tip-off from Chinese authorities, more than 700 mobile phones, 331 laptops and nearly 100 desktop computers were seized along with pen drives and SIM cards.

The arrests came days after over 340 Chinese nationals were detained in the Philippines in a raid on unlicensed gaming businesses.

In November, almost 700 Chinese nationals were arrested in Malaysia when authorities busted a major online investment scam operation.

Nepalese authorities said that the 114 men and eight women would be flown to China on Wednesday evening and that they were being deported for contravening immigration laws.

"They were found to have overstayed their visas or violated terms of their tourist visas," immigration official Ram Chandra Tiwari told AFP.

© AFP