Rawalpindi: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has so far conducted 390 raids and seized domestic and foreign currency worth 3 billion 86 crore rupees in the crackdown against the handiwork and illegal currency exchange and smuggling.
A meeting was held at the FIA headquarters under the chairmanship of Director General FIA Mohsin Hasan Butt, which was attended by Additional Director Generals, Zonal Directors and other senior officers.
While giving a briefing to Director General Mohsin Hasan Butt on the ongoing crackdown on handi reference and currency smuggling, it was said that a nationwide crackdown is on against elements involved in illegal currency exchange.
It was stated in the briefing that ‘during the current year, 390 raids were conducted against the elements involved in the illegal exchange of reference handi and currency and 382 cases were registered and 557 accused were arrested, while the investigation of 51 inquiries was also completed’.
It was further informed in the briefing that during this year, 250 suspects were arrested by KP zone, 68 by Lahore zone, 24 by Gujranwala zone, 48 by Faisalabad zone, 43 by Multan zone, 20 by Islamabad zone, 20 by Karachi. Zone arrested 64, Hyderabad zone 23 and Balochistan zone arrested 17 accused.
The arrested suspects were involved in currency exchange without a license, while during the raids this year, a total of domestic and foreign currency worth more than 3 billion 86 crore rupees was recovered. Currency includes 650334 US dollars, other foreign currency worth more than 309 million rupees.
Similarly, more than 3 billion 35 crore Pakistani rupees are also included in the exported currency. During the nationwide raids, more than 28 plazas/markets/shops were also sealed while FIA was assisted by law enforcement agencies to arrest the accused.
Director General FIA Mohsin Butt said that the raiding operations against the elements involved in the handi reference should be intensified, the cases under investigation should be completed as soon as possible, and concrete evidence should be provided against the elements involved in the smuggling of foreign currency. Punishment should be given in the light.
He directed that all resources should be used to arrest the accused. DGFIA further said that special steps are being taken to increase the efficiency of the officers.