Sri Lanka deported 125 Chinese nationals early Monday after authorities found them to be residing in the country illegally, officials said.

The group, which included six women, had entered Sri Lanka on tourist visas but was allegedly engaged in computer-related work in the Anuradhapura area. They were arrested on 17 March by officers of the Immigration and Emigration Department’s Investigation Unit.

Authorities said the detainees were later held at the Welisara Detention Centre pending deportation. Following consultations with the Chinese Government, a special aircraft was dispatched to Colombo to facilitate their removal.

Immigration officials said Chinese immigration officers and a doctor accompanied the deportees on the flight, while a six-member Sri Lankan team supervised the operation.

The deportation was carried out jointly with military intelligence amid reports that the group was linked to online financial scams.