ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday set up Dark Web Investigation Unit to identify, track and prosecute criminals operating on encrypted online platforms so as to combat cyber-enabled crimes.
In this connection, a state-of-the-art National Command and Control Centre (NC3) has been established at the FIA headquarters and will employ advanced technologies to uncover hidden criminal networks, trace cryptocurrency transactions and support enforcement operations against transnational cybercrime.
According to the FIA Director General Dr Usman Anwar, the unit would primarily focus on dismantling networks involved in producing forged documents used for human trafficking, illegal migration and other offences falling within the FIA’s jurisdiction. He was of the view that this unit would work closely with the cryptocurrency investigation unit under the same roof, using blockchain forensic capabilities to connect pseudonymous cryptocurrency addresses with real-world identities through open-source intelligence (OSINT) and digital evidence.
Dr Anwar said that investigators would utilise advanced analytical tools to trace aliases, usernames and online identities across dark web marketplaces, forums and hidden services to build comprehensive profiles of criminal actors and bring them to justice. The dark web comprises websites that are not indexed by conventional search engines and are accessible only through specialised browsers using encrypted networks.
He informed that its anonymity has made it a preferred platform for a range of illicit activities, including human trafficking, drug and weapons trading, cybercrime, terrorism, hacking services, piracy and the sale of stolen data.
He said that investigating crimes on the dark web presents significant challenges because these networks are decentralised, encrypted and often operate across multiple jurisdictions. Officials added that the modern investigative technology, combined with international cooperation, remained the most effective means of countering such threats.
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