Illegal Currency Exchange Network Busted
QUETTA: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has intensified its operations against illegal financial networks, arresting three individuals in Quetta for their involvement in unlawful currency exchange and hawala/hundi transactions. Acting on the directives of FIA Director General Riffat Mukhtar Raja, the agency’s Commercial Banking Circle in Quetta conducted the raids, targeting those engaged in unauthorized money transfers that pose serious risks to Pakistan’s financial security.
The arrested suspects — identified as Muhammad Umar, Lal Muhammad, and Abdul Wali — were found operating without any valid financial licenses. Authorities recovered Rs1.7 million in cash, four mobile phones, transaction registers, and other incriminating material during the raids. The suspects reportedly failed to justify the origin and intended use of the seized currency and are now in custody as investigations continue into the broader network behind the hawala/hundi operations.
Human Traffickers Arrested in Taftan
In a separate series of operations, FIA personnel in Taftan cracked down on human trafficking networks operating near the Pakistan-Iran border. According to an FIA spokesperson, three individuals involved in human smuggling were arrested, while four Bangladeshi nationals who were being trafficked were taken into protective custody.
One of the key arrests was of Muhammad Adnan Aslam, a known trafficker with links to a transnational smuggling ring based in Iraq. Intelligence reports revealed that Aslam was facilitating the illegal movement of Pakistani citizens into Iran, with the intention of smuggling them further into Iraq. The FIA confirmed that Aslam’s network used unauthorized routes, often putting the lives of vulnerable migrants at risk during the perilous journey.
These arrests mark a significant step in the FIA’s ongoing campaign against financial and human trafficking crimes, both of which remain serious challenges in Pakistan’s border regions.
