In a major operation against human trafficking, the Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) Anti-Human Trafficking Lahore Circle has successfully apprehended seven suspects of a notorious human trafficking mafia, 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Tuesday.  

The operation led to the recovery of over 1,500 Pakistani passports, along with a cache of counterfeit visa stamps from various countries, including Iran and Iraq.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Raza, Mudassar Shah, Nadeem Shah, Kibria, Husnain Shah, Samar Abbas, and Umair Ahmed.

According to an FIA Lahore spokesperson, these agents were involved in sending citizens to Iran and Iraq on fake Iranian and Iraqi visas.

They are also involved in facilitating their clients through illegal border crossings.

During the raid, the FIA team also seized forged stamps from the Iranian and Iraqi embassies and other falsified documents intended for use in illegal immigration schemes.

The agents were also found to be complicit in forcing individuals into labor under inhumane conditions once they crossed the border.

A case has been registered against the suspects, and further investigations are underway to uncover the full extent of the network's operations and any additional accomplices.

This crackdown is part of a broader effort by the FIA to dismantle human trafficking rings and bring those responsible to justice.

The Director-General of FIA, Ahmad Ishaq Jahangir commended the Director of FIA Lahore Zone, Sarfaraz Khan and his team for their swift and effective action against the passport agent mafia.

Reporter: Irfan Malik