QUETTA: Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency Riffat Mukhtar said strict action and an effective crackdown will continue against organised groups involved in human smuggling, hawala-hundi and power theft, noting these crimes are causing severe damage to the national economy.

He expressed these views during his visit to the FIA Balochistan Zonal Office and said all those involved would be brought before the law.

FIA’s Balochistan Zone Director Behram Khan during a briefing about operations in the province said 89 cases were registered this year against individuals involved in hawala-hundi and illegal currency exchange, while 112 suspects were arrested.

The FIA recovered 45,730 US dollars, foreign currency worth over Rs190m and Rs46.7m in local currency. The officer said 4,771 raids were conducted, resulting in recoveries exceeding 56.7m rupees. He said 409 cases were registered against human smugglers, while 3,567 suspects involved in illegal border crossings were arrested and 39 human smugglers were apprehended this year.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2025