FIA arrests eight for illegal currency exchange

Lahore: In a crackdown against currency smugglers and Hundi/Hawala dealers, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Lahore on Thursday arrested eight people from various parts of the provincial capital and recovered huge amount of foreign currency including the United States (US) Dollars.

Addressing a press conference, Director FIA Zone-I Lahore Sarfaraz Khan Virk at FIA Punjab Zone office said that FIA Corporate Crime Circle Lahore team raided at Sadiq Plaza Mall Road, Nabha Road, Mouj Darya Road and checked more than 50 suspected shops and sealed 22 shops involved in illegal currency exchange without permission of State Bank of Pakistan.

On the special direction of federal government, strict action was underway against currency smugglers and hundi/hawala dealers and 79 people had so far been arrested and 42 cases were registered, he added.

The Director further said: “FIA Lahore had recovered a huge quantity of foreign currency including US Dollars, Euros, United Arab Emirates (UAE) Dirham and others currency worth 324 million during the last two months”.

To a question, he said that FIA was always ready to nab illegal currency dealers and on information, speedy action was being taken, adding that record of license holders was also being checked to control smuggling of foreign currencies.

He lauded the efforts of FIA team and announced to continue crackdown till the arrest of last illegal agent in the provincial capital.