Dili, July 14, 2026 (Media Democracia) – Timor-Leste National Police, through the Criminal Investigation Service Directorate, on Monday dismantled another illicit Online Scam Centre activity in the Kampung Baru area and one in Liquiça Municipality, Bazartete Administrative Post, Ulmera Village.
The search and seizure operation was carried out at 12:00 PM, when the team arrived at the location where these citizens were conducting illicit scam call centre activities.
There were 14 suspects from Kampung Baru, and 76 in Ulmera, Liquiça Municipality.
The Director of the Criminal Investigation Service Directorate, Police Chief Superintendent João Belo dos Reis, informed that the search and seizure operation was based on information from community leaders in those two areas. This allowed DSIK to detect that the activity was indeed taking place.
“Based on information received by the police intelligence service, and information gathered by DSIK itself, we worked together with community leaders in those two areas. After that we detected that there was indeed potential for online fraud there.” said the DSIK Director to journalists at his office in Caicoli Police HQ.
He said that today two teams were deployed to conduct searches in the Kampung Baru area and Ulmera, Liquiça Municipality.
“In Kampung Baru, Comoro, we arrested 14 Chinese nationals who were caught in the act, while they were carrying out their scamming work.” he added.
He informed that in the Ulmera area of Liquiça Municipality there was one large container house where there were 76 people in total, made up of 75 Indonesian citizens and 1 Chinese citizen.
“After identification, because they were caught in the act, we seized all the items they were using and then immediately transported them here.”
The DSIK Director said he will inform the public again because the investigation is currently verifying the evidence collected from the suspects. A press conference will be held tomorrow to report the complete data.
João Belo dos Reis said that Scam Call Centre cases keep increasing. Because of this, he asked everyone to work together. DSIK also remains committed to working hard so that the country doesn’t become a place for illegal activities.
Report By: Estefánia Cardoso
Photo: Estefánia Cardoso