ISLAMABAD: Special Investigation Unit of CIA has traced a gang involved in sale and purchase of stolen vehicles, Dawn has learnt from police officials, sources said.

They purchased a Toyota Corolla, stolen from E-11 on May 3, and made its documents with the support of officials in excise and taxation department and brought it into the market for sale, the sources added.

The gang was unearthed after the special unit arrested two members of the gang on Tuesday.

Inspector Mohammad Shafiq and ASI Syed Asif Hussain Shah got information that a gang was involved in purchase and sale of stolen vehicles. They in the guise of purchaser contacted one of the members of the gang, they added.

They set a meeting but the seller changed locations twice and later met them near Carriage Factory and showed a Toyota Corolla, registered with Lahore Excise and Taxation Department, the police said, adding he demanded Rs1.4million for the car.

He also produced the documents, including invoice and registration book.

The policemen took him and the vehicle to the CIA centre, where he was arrested, they added.

During interrogation he revealed that the vehicle was stolen from Sector E-11 on May 3, the police said, adding that the vehicle belonged to Rana Zulfikar Ali and lifted from outside of his house and a theft case was registered with Golra police station.

Further interrogation revealed that he changed the location twice to confirm that those who were coming to purchase the vehicle were genuine, the police said, adding his accomplice Shiraz was watching him from a distance, but after his arrest he fled.

The other member of the gang was also arrest by the SIU later on, they added.

The accused told the investigators that they purchased the Toyota Corolla against Rs380,000.

They further stated that a man operating from Darra Adam Khel arranged the documents for the vehicles against Rs15,000.

The documents had all the security features and it looked like the original one.

IO of the case Inspector Mohammad Shafiq told Dawn that investigation was in progress to trace their links in Nadra, ETO Lahore and Pakistan Printing Press.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2015

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