@voniavieira: Timor-Leste police have continued a months-long crackdown on suspected scam centres operating in the country, arresting dozens more in coordinated raids across the capital Dili. The ABC went with Timor-Leste police as they raided four alleged scam centres, confiscating laptops, hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, passports and computers. The arrests bring the total number of people taken into custody in the crackdown to 583. Police said most suspects detained so far are Chinese nationals with workers from Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines also arrested. During the raids, they found evidence of money transfers from several victims in other countries, including Vietnam and Indonesia, involving “substantial sums of money”. Phones were also found hidden around the accommodation provided for the workers. Several laptops containing the Telegram messaging application allegedly used to contact targets and carry out online fraud were also found. The ABC has spoken to some of the suspects arrested who say they were tricked into coming to Timor for “marketing” jobs. When they arrived in the country, they say they were forced into the scam activity, with many having their passports confiscated.

zevonia Vieira

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Thursday 20 August 2026 06:02:55 GMT