KARACHI: In a major operation, the Rangers arrested a key operative of the notorious Wasiullah Lakho gang. According to a Rangers spokesperson, the highly wanted extortionist was apprehended in Lyari, and weapons, along with ammunition, were recovered from his possession.
The suspect has confessed to involvement in over 50 cases of robbery and street crime and is believed to be linked to more than 11 incidents of murder and attempted murder.
The suspect has been handed over to the police for further legal proceedings.
In a separate police action in Karachi, law enforcers arrested three suspects allegedly involved in extorting money from citizens engaged in property transactions.
According to SSP Amjad Sheikh, the suspects were arrested from North Karachi’s industrial area during a raid conducted by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) and CIA.
The arrested extortionists were identified as Tanzeer, Shakeel, and Waqas, all said to be members of the Lyari-based Shakeel Badshah gang. He said that three 9mm pistols and several rounds of ammunition were recovered from their possession.
Investigations revealed that the suspects used to survey property buyers and sellers, posing as real estate agents to collect personal details of property owners. They would then call the victims using foreign phone numbers, issuing extortion threats and demanding large sums of money.
He disclosed that the gang’s leader had already collected hundreds of thousands of rupees in extortion, while the arrested men received between Rs90,000 and Rs200,000 for conducting reconnaissance. The money was transferred through online mobile payment services such as JazzCash.
He further stated that the group was also involved in car lifting, attacks on police, and possession of illegal weapons. A case has been registered against the suspects at the SIU police station, and further investigations are underway.