Dili, April 23, 2026 (Lusa) - Prime Minister, Xanana Gusmão, said on Thursday that Timor-Leste had to bolster its capacity to combat online fraud, assuring that authorities were actively responding to reported cases.

“We learn from situations as they arise. So, when we hear about these cases, we decide to shut everything down,” he said, when asked by journalists how reports of attempts to set up fraud centres in Timor-Leste were affecting the government.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) warned in September of the proliferation of criminal networks in Oecussi (northwest coast of Timor island), saying that recent investigations show that the Timorese enclave on the Indonesian side of the island of Timor has been affected.

Following the public statement issued by the UNODC, the Timor-Leste government decided to revoke existing online gambling and betting licences and prohibited the issuance of new ones, citing significant risks to national security and social stability.

Speaking after his weekly meeting with President José Ramos-Horta, the prime minister said that several institutions were currently working to enhance their operational capacity to tackle money laundering.

Gusmão also recalled the successful efforts of Timorese authorities in 2024, saying that they had utilised Interpol’s Global Rapid Payment Intervention mechanism to assist a Singaporean firm in recovering more than $42 million (€36 million) that had been stolen through a business e-mail scam.

"They were surprised; they said we were very effective in that regard," he said.

Despite the success, the prime minister emphasised that the country must continue to invest in its workforce.

"We have identified errors and shortcomings and are trying to do our best to address them", not only in the investigation but at the customs level, said Xanana Gusmão.

MSE/MYAL // AYLS

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