CID busts racket in videos of women lured into sexual trysts

The Criminal Investigation Dept’s (CID) Cybercrime Division has launched an investigation into an alleged racket to produce videos of sexual encounters with young women, and selling them to pornographic websites, CID sources said. The main suspect was taken into custody after a woman complained to the CID of an individual luring her to a 5-star hotel in Colombo and recording sexual encounters, which are sold to pornographic websites.

These videos are now circulating online through these sites, the complainant further alleged. The woman had furnished dates the suspect had stayed at the hotel, room number and even his mobile phone number, which led to the arrest. Acting on this information, a team of CID detectives had visited the hotel and verified the details, and found the suspect had stayed for three days. CID sources disclosed that the hotel’s CCTV footage showed several young women, either being escorted into the hotel by the suspect or coming into his hotel room on their own during those three days.

Following further investigations, a 36-year-old man was subsequently taken into custody from Batticaloa. The CID was able to recover a laptop and several flash drives containing videos of the suspect’s sexual encounters with many women, as well as photographs of the acts and nude pictures of the women.

The suspect, who was a tourist guide in Batticaloa, also maintained a shop which sold surfing equipment. Investigators say he is also highly addicted to gambling and regularly traveled to Colombo to patronise casinos. Police are now sifting through the electronic devices recovered from the suspect to ascertain more details about the suspect’s nefarious activities.

CID officials appealed to women, not to be lured into such scams and are further warning parents to be mindful of their children to ensure they too don’t fall victim to such rackets.