- विज्ञापन -
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out searches on Wednesday at 11 locations across Punjab and Haryana in connection with the notorious ‘Donkey Route’ human trafficking racket, which was exposed after several illegal immigrants were deported from the United States earlier this year, official sources reported.
These searches, conducted by the ED’s Jalandhar regional office, are based on intelligence gathered during the ongoing investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The targeted locations include Amritsar, Sangrur, Patiala, Moga, Ambala, Kurukshetra, and Karnal, focusing on travel and visa agents suspected of being involved in the illegal migration network.
The investigation was initiated following the registration of 17 FIRs by police authorities in Punjab and Haryana against travel agents and intermediaries accused of cheating individuals eager to migrate to the U.S. The agents allegedly lured victims with promises of lawful travel, only to traffic them along dangerous, unauthorized land routes known as the ‘Donkey Route’, which involves illegal, multi-country crossings often marked by peril, officials explained.
According to ED findings, the agents charged victims between Rs 45 to Rs 50 lakh per person under the guise of legal migration. However, victims were often smuggled across borders through jungles and hazardous terrain, with organized crime groups and traffickers called “Donkers” involved in the operation.
Further investigations revealed that once the victims were en route, the traffickers and agents coerced families into paying more money by instilling fear and threatening the safety of their loved ones. Statements from several deported individuals have been taken by the ED, leading to the identification of multiple suspects whose properties are currently being searched as part of the crackdown.
This case underscores the rising threat posed by transnational human trafficking networks disguising themselves as legitimate immigration service providers.
