FIA arrests human smuggler, recovers 80 passports in Rawalpindi

RAWALPINDI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Tuesday arrested a human smuggler in Rawalpindi and recovered large number of passports from his possession, ARY News reported.

The suspect was arrested in a raid at his office on Sixth Road in the city.

The FIA officials said 80 passports and more than Rs0.85 million were recovered from his possession.

“The suspect would send people on Umrah without any license and permit,” they said.

The FIA said a case had been lodged against the suspect under Section 6 and an investigation had been launched against him.

On April 7, the FIA had raided three illegal money exchanges and arrested three accused over speculative currency trading in various areas of Lahore.

Read More: FIA arrests three accused in raids at three illegal money exchanges

According to the Interior ministry raids were conducted in the wake of surge in US dollar rate against Pakistani Rupee.

The FIA team had recovered Rs. 400 million from the custody of arrested accused. Investigation into the matter was underway.

Yesterday, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain had said the government has directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to launch a full- fledged operation against dollar hoarding, and speculative currency trade.

In a tweet on his social media account, he had said the operation was being launched in coordination with State Bank of Pakistan and Ministry of Finance.