ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Immigration has uncovered an organized gang involved in smuggling citizens to Europe via the sea route. The agency arrested five passengers at Karachi Airport, who had arrived from Senegal through Ethiopia, and revealed key details during their investigation.
The detained individuals were identified as Iftikhar Ahmed, Naseer Ahmed, Rashid Farooq, Shamreez, and Saqlain Murtaza, all from various cities, including Wazirabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujranwala, and Sialkot.
According to officials, Iftikhar Ahmed traveled to Senegal on a visit visa, while Saqlain Murtaza reached Mauritania via Dubai. The remaining three passengers initially went to Saudi Arabia on Umrah visas before being sent to Mauritania by the traffickers.
The passengers had been in contact with human traffickers Mohammad Afzal and Ali Hassan, who promised to send them to Spain legally for a fee of 3.5 million rupees each. However, upon reaching Mauritania, the traffickers attempted to smuggle them illegally to Europe by sea. The passengers refused to take the dangerous journey and chose to return instead.
