Rs200m recovered in Rs300m bank cash van heist

Key suspect arrested; gang linked to multiple bank heists across Pakistan

KARACHI:

Police in Karachi's Central district have arrested the mastermind of a Rs300 million cash van robbery and recovered Rs200 million in a major breakthrough in one of the year's biggest heist cases, officials said on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference alongside SSP Central, DIG West Irfan Baloch said the central suspect, identified as Muhammad Ali alias "Ali Langra," was the ringleader of a well-organised inter-provincial gang allegedly involved in dozens of bank-related robberies across major cities of Pakistan.

The robbery took place on June 12, 2026, in the jurisdiction of Joharabad police station, when a private security company's cash van carrying Rs300 million was targeted. Police said a special investigation team was formed immediately after the incident to trace those involved.

Officials said the investigation led to the arrest of a key insider, Wajid, who was part of the security crew assigned to the cash movement. Following his interrogation, police were able to identify and track down the main network behind the robbery.

During the raid, police recovered Rs200 million in cash along with vehicles used in the crime, including a Vigo pickup and a Pixis car. Officials said the stolen money had been hidden at two separate residences belonging to the main suspect.

DIG West said the arrested suspect had planned the robbery and operated as the Karachi-based leader of the gang, while other members remained active in different parts of the country. The gang is believed to have carried out bank heists in Karachi, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Quetta and Multan over several years.

Police further revealed that the gang comprised more than a dozen members, with links to different regions, including Swat and Parachinar. Some suspects are still at large along with a portion of the stolen money. Investigators said the group used multiple number plates on vehicles involved in the robbery and escaped via katcha routes towards Balochistan to avoid detection.