RAWALPINDI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Islamabad zone detained a former police official for allegedly being involved in human smuggling and extorting huge sums of money for illegally sending people to Europe via sea route.

Spokesman for the FIA said that the agency has arrested awanted suspect involved in sending citizens to Europe via illegal sea routes.The accused was identified as Hassan Butt.

The accused who was a former police officer was arrested from Jalalpur Jattan during a surprise raid.

The FIA said that the accused received millions of rupees for illegally sending citizens from Turkey to Europe.

Multiple raids had been conducted to arrest the proclaimed offender as he was wanted in the Islamabad zone since 2022.

A case was registered against the accused in the Anti-Human Trafficking Circle, Islamabad, in 2022, the FIA said adding that the suspect had been arrested and was being interrogated.

Meanwhile, FIA continued crackdown on elements involved in boat accident and arrested notorious a human trafficker in connection with Greek boat accident

Raiding teams had been formed to arrest the suspects involved in the Greek boat accident, the FIA said.

The arrested suspect hails from Afghanistan and was arrested from Abbottabad, FIA spokesman said.

The arrested suspect was on the list of wanted suspects in human trafficking as he was involved in sending innocent citizens to Europe via illegal sea routes.

Solid evidence of human trafficking recovered from the suspect’s mobile phone which included material related to human trafficking and the Greek boat accident.

The arrested suspect is the brother of another human trafficker who was arrested by the FIA two days ago.

FIA continues operations against elements involved in human trafficking, the spokesman said, adding that those who play with the lives of innocent people deserve no concessions.

The accused will be given proper punishments in the light of solid evidence, said the spokesman.

Published in Dawn, January 5th, 2025