News

Rocky successfully carries out ‘call termination’ racket

Published

8 months ago

September 22, 2023

editor

Local phone service providers including Telecom and Mobitel as well as the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) are losing a colossal amount of revenue due to a ‘call termination’ racket operating in Sri Lanka, it was reported.

Agencies conducting investigations into the matter have received information that one such racketeer earns as much as Rs.02 – 05 million per day.

It was reported that these racketeers earn this amount by redirecting over 100,000 minutes of IDD calls in a single day.

Sri Lanka Telecom PLC is equipped with the technology to detect this kind of call termination scams and has also set up a separate unit called the ‘Fraud Management Unit’ solely for this purpose.

This unit, which is currently operating under the networking division, is said to have been well-functioning when it was under the financial division.

Senior officials reportedly shirked from launching investigations into these racketeers by citing the arrival of mobile messaging apps such as WhatsApp, WeChat, IMO, Viber and Messenger as the reason for these daily revenue losses.

Meanwhile, investigations have revealed that the racket is currently being largely operated by an individual named ‘Rocky’ who is originally from Gampola and has now settled in Colombo.

Investigations revealed that Rocky is pretending to be an UK national and uses a phone number registered in England.

Apart from this, he is also said to be involved in Undiyal transactions.

He has been arrested by the police in connection with this fraud on a previous occasion as well.

According to security forces, those involved in this racket continue to do so again even after being reprimanded, as the relevant fine is as low as Rs.10,000.

Security forces also note that since such racketeers also support terrorist activities, questioning them under detention orders would enable them to weed out this racket altogether.

Heads of mobile phone service providers allege that the arrest of such traffickers keep getting delayed due to the lukewarm reaction by the investigation departments.

Meanwhile, former chairpersons of service providers, former cricket players and former presidential secretaries have also been accused by the media of being involved in this racket.

News

Former Indian envoy to Sri Lanka enters politics

Published

4 hours ago

May 11, 2024

editor

Former Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Taranjit Singh Sandhu has joined India’s ruling BJP and is contesting the elections. After Sri Lanka, he also served in the United States.

He is a BJP candidate from the Amritsar seat and on Friday he declared his total assets worth Rs 39.92 crore, according to his poll affidavit, the NDTV reported.

Sandhu, 61, on Friday filed his nomination papers in Amritsar for the June 1 Lok Sabha polls.

According to his affidavit, Sandhu declared moveable and immovable assets owned by him and his wife to be Rs 10.88 crore and 29.04 crore, respectively.

News

Five Sri Lankans detained in Latvia for assisting illegal migrants

Published

4 hours ago

May 11, 2024

editor

Five Sri Lankans have been detained by the State Border Guards of the Republic of Latvia for allegedly transporting persons who illegally crossed the state border on Wednesday (08).

In Augšdaugava Municipality in Latvia, Border guards have stopped a Peugeot 307 driven by a citizen of Sri Lanka and another citizen of Sri Lanka, both with valid residence permits, was in the seat next to the driver. While checking documents, six persons of Afro-Asian origin were found to be in the car without travel documents, valid visas and residence permits, the State Border Guard of Latvia said.

Issuing a statement, the State Border Guard of Latvia stated that the border guards on suspicion of providing support to migrants also detained three other citizens of Sri Lanka, who were moving in a Volkswagen Polo car.

Criminal proceedings have reportedly been initiated against the detained Sri Lankans under Section285(1)(3) of the Criminal Law of the Republic of Latvia for knowingly ensuring persons the possibility to reside illegally in the Republic of Latvia, if it has been committed by an organised group.

The applicable punishment is deprivation of liberty for the period of two and up to eight years, the State Border Guard mentioned.

The suspected Sri Lankans were stopped from illegally crossing the state border in accordance with the Cabinet Order No 184 of March 12, 2024 “Regarding Declaration of the Reinforced Operating Regime of the Border Guarding System”, the statement highlighted.

(adaderana.lk)

News

Veteran journalist A.D. Ranjith Kumara no more

Published

1 day ago

May 10, 2024

editor

Veteran journalist, artist and author A.D. Ranjith Kumara passed away today (May 10).

He passed away at the age of 77.

His remains will be laid at the Mahinda funeral parlour in Mt. Lavinia from 8.00am tomorrow (May 11) before being handed over to the Kotelawala Medical Faculty as per his final wishes.