ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has announced the arrest of a prime suspect allegedly involved in human smuggling and linked to an international fraud network.
The suspect, identified as Zainullah, was arrested by FIA officials upon his arrival in Karachi from Cambodia. According to a press release from the agency, Zainullah had traveled from Pakistan to Cambodia in September 2024.
The FIA revealed that Zainullah had been employed by an online fraud company in Cambodia and later transitioned into a role as an agent, recruiting individuals from Pakistan for illegal activities.
During the investigation, authorities recovered images of various passports, payment receipts, and bank transaction records by analyzing the suspect’s phone data. It was further disclosed that Zainullah used both personal bank accounts and a cryptocurrency account to receive payments.
The suspect has been transferred to the FIA Anti-Human Trafficking Circle in Karachi for further legal procedures. The agency confirmed that an investigation is ongoing.
Pakistan ramped up efforts against illegal migration in 2023 following a tragic incident in which an overcrowded vessel sank off the Greek town of Pylos, resulting in hundreds of casualties, including 262 Pakistani nationals. This disaster remains one of the Mediterranean’s deadliest migration-related tragedies.
