Lahore: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Lahore Zone has arrested six suspects, including passport and visa agents, during a crackdown against agent mafias involved in fraud and illegal overcharging of citizens.
According to a spokesperson, the operations were carried out by the Anti-Corruption Circle and Anti-Human Trafficking Circle Lahore in Nankana Sahib, Sahiwal and Sargodha districts.
The arrested suspects were identified as Arsalan, Karamat, Allah Ditta and Shehryar, who were apprehended outside the Passport Office in Nankana Sahib, while Basharat Ali and Farooq were arrested in Sahiwal and Sargodha.
The spokesperson stated that the four passport agents were allegedly charging citizens illegal additional fees for passport processing and deceiving applicants by promising expedited issuance of passports in exchange for extra payments.
During the raids, FIA teams recovered passports, tokens, bank challans, receipts, and other incriminating evidence from the suspects’ possession.
The spokesperson added that Shehryar and Farooq allegedly defrauded citizens of a total of Rs1. 19 million on the pretext of arranging overseas work visas.
Cases had been registered against the suspects and further investigations were under way.