LAHORE: The Punjab Police on Tuesday claimed to have arrested another key suspected in the Greece shipwreck tragedy case amid a vigorous crackdown launched on those involved in human trafficking – a multibillion dollar illegal business attracting crime syndicates around the globe.
According to a police spokesperson, the suspect identified as Mumtaz Arain was arrested from Vehari district in southern Punjab. He claimed the police seized important documents, mobile phone data and other evidences from his possession.
The mobile phone of Aslam another accused detained earlier was among the items recovered during the raid as the police are now handing over Mumtaz to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) – the department responsible for tackling crimes like human trafficking.
Pakistan has so far arrested over a dozen suspects from Sheikhupura, Gujrat, Karachi and other areas as investigation is under way to capture the main characters behind human trafficking.
Meanwhile, the suspected smugglers arrested by the authorities in Greece are expected to face manslaughter charges in a Greek court this week.
In his reaction, IG Punjab Dr Usman Anwer promised to apprehend all the suspects involved in the boat tragedy in which only 104 people could survive. The number of bodies recovered is just 81, meaning that hundreds of intending migrants lost their lives in the incident.
