FIA, Interpol apprehend proclaimed offender in Croatia after 16 years

KARACHI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in collaboration with Interpol on Tuesday arrested a proclaimed offender after 16 years in Croatia, ARY News reported.

According to FIA, the suspect Iftikhar Ahmed was wanted in connection with a 2008 dacoity case registered at the Agoki Police Station in Sialkot.

The FIA spokesperson stated that Ahmed, who was arrested in Croatia was brought back to Islamabad Airport. The FIA had issued a Red Notice through Interpol’s National Central Bureau (NCB) to facilitate Ahmed’s arrest.

Ahmed had been evading law enforcement agencies for 16 years and was finally apprehended due to the close coordination between Interpol Islamabad and Interpol Croatia.

The spokesperson said that the use of modern technology has enabled Interpol’s NCB to maintain 24/7 contact with the global community, facilitating the exchange of information and coordination of efforts to combat international crime.

Also read: FIA arrests Mauritania land route human smuggler in Faisalabad

Earlier, the FIA said that the land route agent in Mauritania, involved in human smuggling was arrested by its officials.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) disclosed that accused Mubashir Enayat had received 4.7 million rupees from a citizen assuring him a job in Spain.

Accused Mubashir sent the man to Senegal from Mauritania on a visit visa, officials stated. “The citizen refused to travel in a boat to Europe,” investigation agency officials said.

The FIA recovered a mobile phone and other evidence from the accused.

The agency is conducting raids to arrest other operatives of the human smuggling network, officials added. Seven Pakistani survivors of the recent Morocco boat tragedy have been repatriated to the country.

The survivors included Muhammad Asif, Muhammad Abbas, Mudassar Hussain, Imran Iqbal, Uzair Basharat, Shoaib Zafar and Aamir Ali, who hail from Gujrat, Hafizabad, Sialkot, Mandi Bahauddin and Gujranwala districts of Punjab.+