| Pakistani Mafia | |
| Founded: | 1980s |
| Founding Location: | Pakistan |
| Years Active: | 1980s - present |
| Ethnic Makeup: | Punjabis, Muhajirs, Pashtuns, Saraikis, Sindhis, Balochis, British Pakistanis, Pakistani Americans, Pakistani Canadians, Pakistani Australians, Pakistani Norwegians |
| Territory: | Pakistan, Afghanistan,[1] Australia,[2] Canada,[3] Greece,[4] Iran,[5] [6] Nepal,[7] Norway,[8] Oman,[9] Saudi Arabia,[10] United Kingdom[11] |
| Criminal Activities: | Drug trafficking, weapon trafficking, smuggling, robbery, highway robbery, dacoity, contract killing, assassination, fraud, prostitution, money laundering, land grabbing, counterfeiting, extortion, illegal gambling, murder, kidnapping, tax evasion and forgery[12] |
Organized crime in Pakistan refers to the activities of groups of organized crime in Pakistan, The Pakistani mafia is spread in many countries. Pakistani mafia groups are mostly ethnically based. The Pakistani mafia is involved in drug trafficking, assassination, land grabbing, arms smuggling and various other illegal activities.
US Congressional report claims that the world's third most wanted fugitive and Indian underworld mobster, Dawood Ibrahim's "D-company has a 'strategic alliance' with Pakistan's ISI".[13] Ever since he took to hiding, his location has been frequently traced to Karachi, Pakistan, a claim which Pakistani authorities have denied.[14]
Other known gangsters from Pakistan are Rehman Dakait of the Peoples' Aman Committee. Pakistan is also home to large drug cartels which export heroin created in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is the largest producer of heroin (see Opium production in Afghanistan), but due to no existing connections to International waters, most of its product is exported through Pakistan to various regions such as Middle east, Europe, and Australia.[15]
The Chotu gang was a gang that engaged in kidnapping, murder, smuggling, gun-running and highway robberies. led by Ghulam Rasool alias "Chotu". The gang was based in the Kacha area of Rajanpur.[16] The gang was also known for abducting people from Karachi, Baluchistan and Rahim Yar Khan District. Punjab Police conducted multiple failed operations against them.[17] [18] The gang used light and heavy weapons procured from Afghanistan, including light machine guns, heavy machine guns and an anti-aircraft gun. In April, the Pakistan Army launched an operation named Zarb-e-Ahan against Chotu gang.[19] Resources said that previously four operations launched against Chotu gang were all successful on a small scale. The gangsters had put up a fierce resistance and indiscriminately fired on the law enforcers, killing 7 and taking 18 hostage, including the SHO. Punjab Rangers fired mortar rounds to halt any advance of the Chhotu gang, who were using 24 captured police officers as human shields. After the involvement of the army on backup, the police had been successful in killing 54 dacoits, successfully making the gang surrender, which led to the arrest of them and their leader. The police officers who were previously taken hostage were later released by the gang after its surrender.[20]
Pakistani gangs active in the United Kingdom, as well as several Scandinavian countries to a lesser extent, more closely resemble strictly organized crime groups.[21] Great Britain-based Pakistani organized crime groups are mostly known for drug trafficking (mainly heroin), arms dealing, as well as other criminal activities.[22]