Police intensify raids on illegal brothels disguised as spas in Colombo

Colombo, Dec. 29 (Daily Mirror) - Police have intensified raids on brothels allegedly operating under the guise of spas in Colombo, after dozens of foreign women were arrested in December alone for involvement in illegal activities in Sri Lanka.

Police said that as tourism numbers rise, cases involving foreign nationals violating visa conditions and engaging in illegal activities have also increased. This has prompted police to step up inspections of establishments registered as “Ayurvedic” or “massage” centres, particularly in Colombo.

In December alone, dozens of foreign nationals allegedly involved in brothel operations have been arrested especially in Colombo and surrounding areas.

Police raids were mainly concentrated in areas such as Kollupitiya, while similar inspections were also conducted in Mount Lavinia, Ratmalana, and Mirihana.

Most recently, on December 28, Kollupitiya Police raided an Ayurvedic massage center along Galle Road, arresting ten foreign women from three different countries. During the raid, officers also seized a stock of duty-free cigarettes from one of the suspects.

The crackdown has been especially concentrated in the Kollupitiya area, with multiple operations carried out by the Colombo South Divisional Crime Investigation Bureau. On December 19, police arrested a 58-year-old manager and nine Thai women for allegedly providing sexual services at a spa. Earlier, on December 15, another raid led to the arrest of a manager and six Thai women at a similar establishment.

These operations follow earlier raids conducted in 2025 in Mount Lavinia, Ratmalana, and Mirihana.

It was reported that many of these establishments operate using valid-looking licenses for Ayurvedic treatment while violating visa regulations and labour laws. In July 2025, the Department of Immigration and Emigration arrested ten foreign nationals—including Thai, Vietnamese, and Chinese women—who were working illegally in urban spas while on tourist visas.

Police and immigration officials have warned that foreign nationals found engaging in illegal activities, as well as those facilitating such operations, will face strict legal action and deportation.

Sri Lanka currently allows tourists from several countries to enter the country on free visas as part of efforts to boost tourism. From January 2026, the government plans to expand its visa-free entry programme to around 40 countries, including the UK, US, EU nations, and Australia, in addition to countries such as China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Russia, and Thailand.

Tourist arrivals have shown strong growth in 2025, with a total of 2,298,987 visitors recorded so far. December has seen particularly strong momentum, with 195,394 arrivals between December 1 and 25 alone. A record 11,111 tourists arrived on Christmas Day, marking the highest single-day arrival figure for the year.