Pakistan registers money laundering case against TikToker Hareem Shah

Tariq Butt, Correspondent

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Pakistan Customs authorities have registered a money laundering case against TikToker artiste Hareem Shah and asked the British National Crime Agency (NCA) to take action.

The FIA action followed Hareem Shah's claim of smuggling thousands of British pounds abroad, while travelling from Jinnah International Airport Karachi to London without being checked anywhere at the Karachi airport. Her social media claim soon became viral.

However, later Hareem Shah denied any wrongdoing, terming the video just a prank. In a statement uploaded on social media, she termed her earlier video of taking money from Pakistan via Karachi Airport, just a prank.

Reacting to the video, the officials of FIA Sindh said the agency took up the issue with the senior immigration officials to enquire as to how Hareem Shah had managed to pass the security check without declaring foreign currency.

According to initial findings, the TikTok artiste, whose real name is Fizza Hussain as mentioned on the passport, passed through all the security counters of the airport without any protocol and departed from the Karachi airport.

The FIA launched a money laundering probe against Hareem Shah and wrote to the UK's National Crime Agency seeking action against Shah for shifting large amounts of money, according to her confessional video. The details of Shah's visa, immigration, and travel documents were also obtained and she was being prosecuted under foreign exchange laws.

The investigators are also seeking information from the Pakistan Customs and the Airport Security Force. Officials from Customs authorities have confirmed the investigation on their part and added the Chief Collector Customs has taken a serious notice of the incident and sought a detailed report.

The Customs investigation team has gone through the video recording and found Shah to have passed the security without declaring carrying any money. The Customs are also checking why the security staff deployed at the scanners did not ask the TikToker if she was carrying any money. Customs officials said action will also be taken against the negligent staff. Further investigations are underway.