Around 800 leading gangsters operate throughout the country under 40 organized underworld gangs, police said.
Most of them are active in the western and southern provinces.
Furthermore, 70 others are operating in exile, with seven of them already under custody.
An operation is on by Sri Lanka’s police, together with Interpol, to nab them.
International red alerts have been issued against around 150 Sri Lankan underworld figures and other criminals.
Last year, around 160 underworld leaders were taken into custody, police added.
