RAWALPINDI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested a suspected human trafficker whose name was on the Red Book’s most wanted list.

An FIA spokesman in Islamabad said on the instructions of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, the scope of investigation had been widened and a noose around networks involved in human trafficking was tightened.

He said during a major operation by FIA, Red Book’s most wanted suspect Mohammad Suleman, who was involved in human trafficking, was arrested from Gujrat, adding that more than seven cases had been registered against him.

The suspect stole millions of rupees on the pretext of sending people to Europe, charging Rs2.4 million each from the seven victims.

The suspect, with the help of other gang members, first sent victims to Libya via Egypt and Dubai, kept them in extremely poor conditions in safe houses and later boarded them on a boat for onward journey to Italy.

The would-be migrants, however, died in the boat accident.

Published in Dawn, December 21st, 2024