November 13, 2008	Thursday	Ziqa'ad 14, 1429

PESHAWAR, Nov 12: Officials of the Federal Investigation Agency on Wednesday conducted raids in different districts of the NWFP, arresting four people and seizing currency notes of different countries.

A high-ranking official of the FIA said an accused, Zubair, was arrested from the Shuba Bazaar, who was doing illegal business of currency exchange in the cover of selling tyres. He said complete record of the illegal business, including registers and computer software, were recovered from him.

The accused, he said, worked as office clerk and the owner, Shabir, and others were residing in Darra Adamkhel, who were not present in the office at the time of the raid.

Another person, Rafiq, he said, was arrested in Swabi, who was also running illegal business of money exchange.

The official said raids were also conducted in Swat, but moneychangers there could not be arrested.

The seized currency included Afghani, Saudi riyal, dirham, Euro, dollar, etc.

He said the people were dealing in millions of rupees and were not only causing huge losses to the country’s exchequer but also looting people with both hands.

HARIPUR: Following the ongoing operation against moneychangers involved in illegal transaction of foreign currency, the FIA Hazara circle here on Wednesday raided the Haripur franchise of Khanani and Kalia (K&K) and seized dollars, riyals, pound sterling and rupee worth millions from Bismillah Money Changers and arrested two persons. However, the franchise owner managed to flee the scene.

According to Saleh Mohammad, assistant director FIA Hazara circle he along with his staff raided Bismillah Money Changers, a franchise of Khanani and Kalia, that was operating despite cancellation of their license by the State Bank.

He said that the record suggested that the franchise owner was doing illegal transaction of dollars and other foreign currency in millions.

To a question Saleh Mohammad said that since the money changers knew about the FIA’s ongoing operation, they had concealed the money and kept a few hundred dollars or other foreign currency on the counter. He said that there were some bankers who were also involved in the scam.

The FIA team also took 3,000 Canadian dollars, 2,300 Saudi riyals, 150,000 Pak rupees, a few US dollars, and pound sterling, office computers, cheque books of different banks and other record of Bismillah Money Changers into custody and sealed the office.

Two employees namely Tanveer and Manzoor were also arrested, while the owner managed to escape.