FIA acts against agents in Greece boat tragedy

Decides to blacklist their passports; charge them under AML Act

LAHORE:

Taking stern action, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Monday decided to blacklist the passports of the suspected human traffickers involved in the Greece boat tragedy and charge them under the Anti-Money Laundering Act.

Last month, a vessel carrying around 750 people, including at least 350 Pakistanis, capsized off Greece.

The incident prompted the government to launch a countrywide crackdown against the human traffickers, taking several into custody.

Read more: Greece tragedy: survivors say coastguard rope capsised boat

FIA Director General Mohsin Hasan Butt and North Additional Director General Rana Abdul Jabbar visited the agency’s Lahore Zone where they were apprised about progress in probe in the trawler incident, the investigation agency said in a statement.

The Lahore and Faisalabad directors told the FIA officials that five inquiries had been opened until now and that 149 cases registered in their zones, while 41 human smugglers were arrested.

The DG FIA directed the authorities concerned to constitute more teams to arrest those involved in the incident.

He ordered that all resources should be utilised to ensure that the culprits were could not escape from law.

 “The DG FIA issued an order to take action under the Money Laundering Act against the suspects involved in the Greek boat accident,” the statement read.

The DG ordered that the CNICs and bank accounts of the agents involved in the heinous crime be immediately blocked and their passports blacklisted.

“Officers posted at all the airports of the country should keep a close watch for the arrest of the agents involved,” the FIA statement quoted the FIA DG as saying, adding that airport in-charges should ensure that no human traffickers manages to escape abroad.