A naval patrol craft detected the "overcrowded" boat about 25 nautical miles off the island's eastern coast. The boat and the people on board were taken to a naval base and then handed over to police.
"This boat had 61 men heading for Australia," a navy official said.
With the latest arrest, more than 530 people both would-be illegal immigrants and their facilitators have been detained so far this year.
The detection came a day after 131 people, including a police constable and some 16 government employees, were arrested in two separate incidents of trying to leave the island illegally last weekend, police said.
Police spokesman Superintendent Ajith Rohana said the spate of illegal migration scams uncovered in the recent days is part of an organised campaign to discredit Sri Lanka and damage its international image.
The Australian authorities said that some 120 Sri Lankans did arrive in the Christmas Island yesterday.
"A majority of those arrested are Tamil minority youth. They are falling victim to this racket. Also the country's image is being destroyed," Rohana said.
