As financial hardship deepens, more Sri Lankans are secretly filming and selling adult videos to foreign websites, risking arrest under the country’s strict anti-obscenity laws.
An alarming trend is emerging across Sri Lanka as an increasing number of people, especially young couples, are turning to producing and selling sexual videos to overseas adult websites in exchange for money. Police confirmed that several international adult platforms and mobile apps are targeting Sri Lankans with lucrative offers, prompting locals to create explicit content under the false belief that their identities will remain hidden.
Authorities warn that promoting, producing, or distributing pornography online remains illegal under Sri Lankan law, even if the websites operate from abroad. A senior police officer said that participation or facilitation within the country constitutes a criminal offence and will be prosecuted.
In one recent case that highlights the growing phenomenon, a married couple from Rajagiriya was arrested by the Nugegoda Divisional Children and Women’s Bureau for producing and uploading pornographic videos to a paid UK-based adult site. The man, a computer engineering graduate, and his wife, a diploma holder in psychology, reportedly turned to this activity after losing their jobs and facing financial distress.
The couple had entered into a contract with the foreign site in November last year, agreeing to upload eight videos monthly. Investigations revealed they had uploaded 334 videos, earning between Rs. 150,000 and Rs. 200,000 per month, with extra income generated based on viewership. Police said the couple filmed the videos in their bedroom and other parts of their home, which matched the interiors seen in the clips. Officers also seized a laptop used for editing and a mobile phone used for filming.
The couple claimed they believed their identities were protected because the website was inaccessible in Sri Lanka until August this year. However, the police confirmed that both the act of filming and uploading pornographic material is punishable under the country’s laws. The suspects were to be produced before the Colombo Aluthgama Magistrate’s Court.
Police reiterated that prostitution and related activities are criminal offences under Sri Lanka’s Vagrants Ordinance and Brothels Ordinance. Anyone involved in the creation, uploading, or distribution of sexually explicit content online could face arrest and prosecution, regardless of where the website is hosted.
