Sri Lanka's Most Wanted: 96 Underworld Figures Hiding Abroad, With 19 Sheltering in Dubai

Ninety-six organised crime suspects from Sri Lanka who are subject to international red notices issued through Interpol remain at large overseas, Public Security Minister Anand Wijepala has revealed.

Dubai Emerges as Key Haven

Of those fugitives, 19 are believed to be sheltering in Dubai, making the UAE city the single largest concentration of Sri Lankan underworld figures currently evading justice. The disclosure underscores growing concerns about the ability of local criminal networks to operate and sustain themselves from foreign soil.

Minister Wijepala made the disclosure as part of broader efforts by the government to shed light on the reach of Sri Lanka's organised crime networks beyond the country's borders.

Red Notices in Force

An Interpol red notice serves as an international request to law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition proceedings. The issuance of 96 such notices reflects the scale of Sri Lanka's challenge in bringing high-profile criminal suspects back to face the country's justice system.

Authorities have been working through diplomatic and law enforcement channels to secure the return of these individuals, though extradition processes can be lengthy and complex depending on the bilateral agreements in place between Sri Lanka and the host countries.

Pressure on Authorities to Act

The revelation is likely to intensify public and parliamentary pressure on the government to accelerate efforts to repatriate these suspects. Sri Lanka's underworld has long been linked to organised drug trafficking, contract killings, extortion, and money laundering, with several key figures believed to be directing criminal operations on the island remotely from abroad.

The concentration of suspects in Dubai in particular raises questions about the effectiveness of existing cooperation mechanisms between Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates in tackling transnational crime.

Minister Wijepala did not provide a full breakdown of the locations of the remaining 77 suspects, but the government has indicated it remains committed to pursuing all outstanding red notice cases through international law enforcement cooperation.