ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested a key suspect involved in a major human smuggling network during a successful operation in Kamoke.
According to officials, the suspect confessed during interrogation that he had illegally sent 16 missing Pakistanis abroad who were among the passengers of a migrant boat that capsized near Libya earlier this month.
Investigations revealed that on April 5, a boat carrying around 105 migrants departed from the Libyan coast for Italy but tragically sank at sea. As a result of the incident, approximately 70 people went missing, including 16 Pakistani nationals.
The suspect further admitted that he had trafficked around 40 individuals to Libya from Pakistan through illegal means over a period of time. Most of the victims of the recent tragedy had reportedly been sent abroad through his network.
FIA officials stated that, based on information obtained from the arrested suspect, efforts are underway to apprehend other members of the smuggling ring. Raiding teams have been formed to dismantle the network and bring all those involved in this illegal trade to justice.
