GUJRAT: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) claimed on Thursday to have arrested an alleged human trafficker wanted in at least 12 cases related to June 2023 Greece boat tragedy, whose name was also in the agency’s ‘Red Book’.
A senior FIA official told Dawn that the suspect, Muhammad Saeed alias Saeed Sunyara, a resident of Mohallah Khawajgan, Gujrat, was initially nominated in a case (19/23), registered under sections 3, 4 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act- 2010 at FIA Gujranwala police station.
He said that during investigation the suspect revealed that he acquired a property measuring 8 marlas in Gulberg Colony, Gujrat, through illegal means.
The official said that it transpired that the suspect was also linked to the June 2023 Greece boat tragedy and was nominated in 12 FIRs, while his name was included in the FIA’s Red Book.
The said the suspect allegedly extorted millions of rupees from the families of many illegal immigrants, promising to send them to Italy via sea route from Libya, who later died in the boat capsize incident. Further investigation is underway, the official added.
Meanwhile, the FIA alsoclaimed to have arrested four other alleged human traffickers from Gujrat and Gujranwala regions during an ongoing crackdown.
According to officials, the arrested suspects include Sultan of Wazirabad, Burhan Raza and Saleem Raza of Gujranwala and Idrees of Sheikhupura district. They are wanted by the FIA in different cases.
Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2025
