A group of four Pakistani nationals reportedly planning to travel illegally to Cyprus through Saudi Arabia was among seven passengers stopped by Pakistani authorities on Wednesday in an investigation into suspected migrant smuggling.

According to the Pakistani news outlet Dawn, the passengers were removed from flights at Sialkot International Airport after immigration officials found they were allegedly travelling to Saudi Arabia using Umrah visas, granted for the pilgrimage to Mecca, while intending to continue onwards to Europe.

Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency, it continued, claimed the four men were planning to reach Cyprus through an organised smuggling arrangement.

Authorities said one passenger’s WhatsApp messages indicated that a relative living in Cyprus had agreed to arrange their transportation for 1.8 million Pakistani rupees per person (around €5,500 each).

Investigators said the four had already paid an advance of one million rupees each and that evidence of bank transactions had been recovered.

The FIA’s anti human trafficking unit has taken over the investigation into the alleged network.

The passengers were initially booked to travel to Saudi Arabia on religious visas, but officials said checks raised suspicions over their intended destination.

The FIA said fake visas and citizenship documents from different countries were also recovered during the operation.

According to Pakistani officials, smugglers often use legitimate travel arrangements, including religious visas, as a means of moving individuals before arranging onward journeys through irregular channels.