FIA arrests suspects in human trafficking case targeting Pakistanis in Cambodia

Victims from Gilgit-Baltistan were held hostage near Vietnam border and forced into illegal online schemes

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Islamabad Zone has launched a crackdown on individuals accused of holding Pakistani citizens from Gilgit-Baltistan hostage in Cambodia and forcing them into bonded labour.

According to the FIA, Composite Circle Gilgit arrested two suspects, Adnan Aslam and Inamullah, who were allegedly involved in luring citizens abroad through fake job offers and trapping them in illegal online schemes. Aslam was arrested in Hunza, while Inamullah attempted to flee to China but was deported and taken into custody.

The FIA said investigators contacted the victims and their families to help identify the suspects. The arrested individuals and their accomplices allegedly detained Pakistani citizens in a building near the Vietnam border, where they were forced to work on online scams. Victims reportedly paid between $2,000 and $5,300 in ransom to secure their release.

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The agency said the suspects conducted online interviews to deceive victims with promises of employment, sending them to Cambodia from Lahore airport. Upon arrival, their passports were confiscated and they were subjected to forced labour, while agents associated with the network demanded large sums in ransom from their families.

A 12-day physical remand has been obtained for the arrested suspects, and further investigations are underway. The FIA has also formed special teams to trace and arrest other members of the trafficking network, saying all available resources are being used to pursue the case.