Sri Lanka, Sept. 17 -- President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has warned that the collapse of law and the deterioration of political culture have turned Sri Lanka into a major victim of armed organized crime gangs.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Kadawatha-Mirigama section of the Central Expressway today (17), the President said these gangs had created an "underground state" that mirrors the official state, fueling drug trafficking, armed violence, and widespread corruption.

He revealed that those recently arrested were responsible for controlling nearly 50 percent of the country's drug network while maintaining links with about 75 percent of armed criminal groups. Evidence has also surfaced showing that political figures, including for...