3 extortionists with links to South Africa-based group arrested in Karachi

Published August 3, 2015
“This is an international gang of extortionists who mostly targeted doctors and pharmaceutical companies,” said Karachi-West DIG, Feroze Shah. – Online/File
“This is an international gang of extortionists who mostly targeted doctors and pharmaceutical companies,” said Karachi-West DIG, Feroze Shah. – Online/File

KARACHI: Police on Monday claimed to have arrested three alleged extortionists, who it said tended to target doctors and pharmaceutical companies and have links with a South Africa-based group.

“Police arrested two suspected extortionists from Khawaja Ajmair Nagri, Wasif Rafiq and Faizan alias Matto, and seized computers from their custody,” said Karachi-West DIG, Feroze Shah.

On their pointation, their third accomplice, Hasan Tufail, was also detained.

“This is an international gang of extortionists who mostly targeted doctors and pharmaceutical companies,” added the police officer, while speaking at press conference.

“Several doctors have left the country due to fear,” believed the DIG West.

Shah said the “held suspects belonged to a political party,” without naming the party.

“They were involved in extortion during the last five years but they tended to use names of outlawed Lyari gang-war outfits and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, while sending extortion chits to doctors, pharmas and traders,” claimed the officer.

The money generated through extortion was being sent to South Africa, said the DIG, through the account of the wife of one Junaid Baghdadi, resident of Johannesburg, South Africa.

Feroze Shah said two accomplices of the held suspects, identified as Hafiz Furqan and Johnson, are based in South Africa.

The DIG West also showed copies of extortion chits to media, which he said were retrieved from the computer data of the detained suspects.

Feroze Shah disclosed that the police had approached the federal government for the arrest of extortionists based in South Africa.

Opinion

Editorial

Afghan turbulence
Updated 19 Mar, 2024

Afghan turbulence

RELATIONS between the newly formed government and Afghanistan’s de facto Taliban rulers have begun on an...
In disarray
19 Mar, 2024

In disarray

IT is clear that there is some bad blood within the PTI’s ranks. Ever since the PTI lost a key battle over ...
Festering wound
19 Mar, 2024

Festering wound

PROTESTS unfolded once more in Gwadar, this time against the alleged enforced disappearances of two young men, who...
Defining extremism
Updated 18 Mar, 2024

Defining extremism

Redefining extremism may well be the first step to clamping down on advocacy for Palestine.
Climate in focus
18 Mar, 2024

Climate in focus

IN a welcome order by the Supreme Court, the new government has been tasked with providing a report on actions taken...
Growing rabies concern
18 Mar, 2024

Growing rabies concern

DOG-BITE is an old problem in Pakistan. Amid a surfeit of public health challenges, rabies now seems poised to ...