FIA arrests three Hawala suspects

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Sindh has claimed that it has arrested three suspects involved in transferring money through illegal channels of Hawala and Hundi.

FIA Sindh Director Sultan Ali Khawaja held a media briefing in which he disclosed the arrests of the suspects. He said the arrests were a result of the agency’s active campaign against the illegal businesses of Hawala and Hundi.

All the field units were directed to track down the culprits, the FIA Sindh director said, adding that officials were deployed in the entire province to gather information about those involved in Hawala and Hundi.

The recent arrests were made during information-based raids at two locations. One of the raids was carried out at a shop in Ruby Centre near the City Post Office Karachi where two suspects, Muhammad Imran and Kamran Abdul Ghani, were arrested. They are allegedly involved in the unauthorised sale and purchase of foreign currency, Hawala and Hundi, and unauthorised sale and purchase of prize bonds in violation of the relevant rules of the State Bank of Pakistan, the relevant SROs issued by the finance ministry and the FER Act 1947, which caused substantial loss to the national exchequer.

The raiding team also seized foreign currencies, prize bonds amounting to Rs380.42 million and other incriminating evidence from their possession. The foreign currencies included Saudi Riyal 70,000, Thai Bath 2,090, UAE Dirham 570, and other currency worth Rs26.99 million.

The other raid was carried out at a shop in the Education Market opposite Laxmi Building on MA Jinnah Road. A suspect, Muhammad Rizwan Abdul Ghani, brother of Kamran, was arrested in the raid for his alleged involvement in the unauthorised sale and purchase of foreign currency and prize bonds in violation of the SBP rules and relevant SROs issued by the finance ministry.

According to the FIA Sindh, US Dollars 34,000, Rs368,500, various prize bonds amounting to Rs5.06 million and other incriminating material was seized from his possession. An FIR was registered against the suspects and further investigations are under way.