FIA seizes property of human traffickers after Greek boat disaster

Following Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's direction, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) began confiscating the properties of the individuals involved in human trafficking, according to reports.

The development came after the tragic shipwreck in Greek waters that claimed at least 40 lives, and dozens more are still missing. 

Meanwhile, FIA initiated the action under the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) 2010 against those who were booked for human trafficking and were already in FIA's custody in the related offences.

AMLA allows the investigations officers to send a reference for the seizure of a suspect's properties to the anti-money laundering cell at the directorate level. After obtaining approval from the concerned magistrate, they can begin the process of seizing the suspect's properties. 

According to the sources, the local land revenue department confirmed the confiscation of properties in various districts of Gujranwala region. 

Moreover, sources in FIA stated that the agency began the process of confiscating the assets of those who were found involved in the Greece shipwreck incident, which occurred on December 14.

In the second phase of its crackdown against human traffickers, the agency will focus on apprehending individuals involved in the June 2023 boat capsizing.

According to the officials, the assets were seized in Sialkot, Gujrat, Mandi Bahaudding and Gujranwala districts, as the suspects involved in human trafficking were residents of these towns. 

Authorities also detained the human traffickers of Sialkot’s Jajja network, Ashraf Saleemi and his associates in Hellan village and other agents, and their properties were marked confiscated by FIA. 

The agency claimed to have arrested at least two more human traffickers involved in the recent bat disaster, that claimed the lives of at least 40 Pakistanis, while several others remain missing.