Gwadar FIA Composite Circle carried out a major operation and arrested 24 suspects attempting to illegally cross into Iran via the sea route.
According to officials, the detainees include 11 individuals from Gujranwala, 7 from Hafizabad, and 6 from Sheikhupura.
The suspects were apprehended from the Jiwani area during the operation.
Over the past decade, Balochistan’s coastal belt has emerged as a major route for people attempting to illegally cross into Iran by sea.
Hundreds of human smuggling attempts have been intercepted by law enforcement agencies, particularly the FIA and Coast Guards, in areas such as Gwadar, Jiwani, and Pasni.
The majority of those arrested were economic migrants from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, lured by agents promising access to Iran and, ultimately, Europe.
Officials report that thousands of people have been detained during the last ten years while trying to make the perilous journey.
The operations have also led to the busting of several human smuggling networks that operate along the Makran coast.
Despite repeated crackdowns, the trend persists due to unemployment and poverty in various regions of Pakistan.
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Authorities continue to warn that such illegal journeys not only risk arrest but also endanger lives at sea.
