With an increasing involvement of foreign scrap collectors cashing in on the rise in recent years, licensed local scrap metal operators are starting to feel the pinch. Arumugham said the association believes tighter regulation such as mandatory collector identity cards, seller verification and digital transaction logs would improve traceability and deter sale of stolen scrap metal. “Countries that have adopted this approach have seen rapid reductions in cable theft and infrastructure vandalism,” he noted. “If there are any metal items like bicycles or steel frames that are left unattended outside homes, they will grab it and speed off. “The foreigners can be seen going door to door buying scrap metal from residents, construction site workers and factory operators,” Rajan said.

Source: The Star January 06, 2026 00:45 UTC