FIA actions against financial crimes listed

ISLAMABAD: Over the past few months, Director General of Federal Investigation Agency Dr Sanaullah Abbasi has personally overseen the campaign against money-laundering and other financial crimes, Waqar Chohan, Director (Crimes) Islamabad Zone, said while addressing a press conference at FIA (Headquarters) Wednesday,

He said that the FIA continued to take action against money-laundering. Giving the breakdown, he said in December 2021 alone, 95 cases were registered against illegal currency dealers and persons involved in Hawala Hundi and 127 accused were arrested and Rs201 million and Rs89 million in foreign currency were seized. In the year 2021, a total of 335 cases were registered and 422 accused were arrested and a total of Rs. 1273.6 million was recovered.

Of the references sent by the State of Pakistan, 32 cases were registered and 32 persons were arrested and Rs61 million and Rs31.61 million in foreign currencies were recovered.

Of suspicious transactions made in banks and currency exchange companies, 271 cases were registered.

The FIA registered hundreds of FIRs in the anti-corruption out of which 46 were found to be of money-laundering and an amount of Rs208 million was seized in these cases

In the last nine months, the FIA registered 312 FIRs in the campaign against Hundi and arrested people involved in criminal activities and seized Rs 897 million.

On reports of intelligence agencies, 103 cases were registered and 140 accused were arrested and Rs530 million in Pakistani and foreign currency were recovered.

Cooperation with Interpol and other agencies has also been enhanced with regard to the overseas property or arrest of suspects involved in financial crimes, the FIA director said.

In this regard, more than 650 MLA mutual legal assistance requests have been sent to Interpol during this period, he said.

Throughout this campaign, constant liaison and cooperation has been maintained with the State Bank of Pakistan Financial Monitoring Unit and other agencies, he added.

In the coming days, he said the FIA will continue cracking down on these financial crimes, which are hurting the national economy, and efforts will be further intensified.