KARACHI, Nov 8: As many as 12 suspects were arrested on Saturday by the Passport Circle of the Federal Investigation Agency as part of the crackdown on human smugglers.

Officials said the drive against human trafficking was launched across the country on the directives of the minister for interior.

They said the decision to take action against human smuggling was taken up at a high-level meeting which was presided over by the interior minister at the federal capital. The officials said the minister ordered the FIA to utilise all resources to curb the menace which was bringing a bad name to the country.

They said the Passport Circle in Karachi, equipped with logistic support and staff from other investigation arms of the FIA, including the FIA’s immigration and anti-smuggling wing, conducted several raids at different places in the city.

They said during the first 24 hours of the campaign against human smuggling, the Passport Circle had arrested 12 suspects, who were involved in sending people abroad on fake papers.