Police claim to have solved the high-profile Rs3 billion cash van robbery in Karachi’s Joharabad area with the arrest of the alleged mastermind of an interstate criminal gang and the recovery of a major portion of the stolen money.

According to police, the prime suspect, identified as Muhammad Ali alias “Ali Langra”, was arrested during an operation carried out as part of the investigation into the June 12 robbery of a private security company’s cash van.

Authorities said Rs2 billion of the looted amount was recovered from the suspect’s possession. Vehicles allegedly used in the robbery were also seized during the operation.

The cash van was robbed in Joharabad on June 12 in one of the largest cash heists reported in the city in recent years.

Investigators said the case was solved through a series of intelligence-based operations and interrogations.

Police further revealed that Wajid, the chief crew member of the cash van, was found to be involved in the crime, indicating insider facilitation in the execution of the robbery.

Officials said the criminal group involved in the heist consists of more than a dozen members and operates across provincial boundaries.

Efforts are under way to arrest the remaining suspects and recover the rest of the stolen money.

Police described the arrest and recovery as a major breakthrough in the case and said further investigations were continuing to dismantle the entire network behind the robbery.