Four arrested as FIA foils human trafficking bid

Local agent, aided by Indian trafficker, was illegally taking three youths to Europe

KARACHI:

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Immigration on Friday foiled an attempt of human trafficking at the Jinnah Terminal and arrested four persons including a travel agent who was reportedly connected with an Indian agent in Azerbaijan.

The agent had committed to help three youngsters travel to Azerbaijan and then slip into Europe via Poland on tampered passports and forged visas.

The illegal travellers were identified as Haseeb Ahmed, Qaiser Ahmed, Usman Ali and agent Abdul Shakoor, who had come from Faisalabad, Chiniot, Gujranwala and Nankana Sahib.

Abdul Shakoor made agreements of Rs1.4 million each for illegally transporting them to Poland. The agent had received an advance payment of Rs250,000 each from the arrested people who were all set to travel to Poland illegally via Azerbaijan.

Initial investigation revealed that important evidence was recovered from the mobile phone of human trafficker Abdul Shakoor, who had secured Azerbaijani visas for other accused through a Zam Zam Travels located in Shangla Hill.

Abdul Shakoor was in contact with an Indian agent, Gautam Sharma, residing in Azerbaijan, who had to illegally send the accused from Azerbaijan to Poland.

The accused have been transferred to the Anti-Human Trafficking Circle for further investigation.