CHANDIGARH: Illegal immigration, never-ending desperation to make it across overseas by any cost, and exorbitant charges have generated a money-minting profession for human smugglers, or “dunkers,” who are fleecing hapless people of colossal amounts. As part of a massive crackdown, Punjab Police registered 16 FIRs and held three travel agency agents of unlawful immigration syndicates. The most recent cases
An FIR was lodged at the Patti police station in Tarn Taran against an agent based out of Chandigarh and Yamuna Nagar, who cheated a victim of Rs 44 lakh with promise of legal entry into the US but instead used him via Nicaragua and Mexico.
In another case, Majri police in SAS Nagar booked agents Mukul and Gurjinder Antaal for defrauding a person of Rs 45 lakh and sending him via Colombia and Mexico. In Moga, Dharamkot police filed an FIR against Sukhwinder Singh, Talwinder Singh, Pritam Kaur, and Gurpreet Singh, who are associated with Ekam Travels, Chandigarh. They had allegedly cheated a victim by offering him a direct US work permit but took him through Prague, Spain, and El Salvador. In the same vein, Sangrur’s Khanauri police lodged an FIR against Haryana-based agents Angrej Singh and Jagjit Singh, who took Rs 50 lakh for a Canada visa but sent the victim via Egypt, Dubai, Spain, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. Another FIR in Goindwal Sahib was lodged against agent Goldy, working near IGI Airport, Delhi, for taking Rs 45 lakh for a US entry assurance.
Sangrur police arrested Angrej Singh and Jagjit Singh, the second arrest having been made previously by NRI police in Patiala. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed with ADGP (NRI Affairs) Praveen Sinha at its helm, who are coordinating with cybercrime units, financial institutions, and central authorities to break down these human trafficking syndicates. The operation resulted in several arrests and freezing of bank accounts connected with these syndicates.
DGP Punjab Gaurav Yadav advised people against dealing with unverified immigration agents and urged them to seek only licensed consultants for going abroad.
Illegal migration networks are flourishing in areas such as Nadala and Sultanpur Lodhi, where agents demand between Rs 40 lakh and Rs 80 lakh for illegal migration. Most deportees, after successfully reaching foreign shores, become commission agents by enticing more victims from their villages.
Villages such as Begowal and Khassan have witnessed an upsurge in illegal migration, with agents now taking up to Rs 40 lakh, whereas two decades ago, it would cost between Rs 6–7 lakh. A former Bholath sarpanch stated that people are selling jewelry and land to sponsor these desperate flights.
Ex-MLA Navtej Singh Cheema opined that all the villages today are full of many travel agents given the appeal for the NRI way of living. Sukhpal Khaira, Bholath MLA, attributed Punjab youth’s exodus to lack of opportunities and frustration and sought the reservation of jobs for Punjab domiciles along with a ban on the sale of agricultural fields to non-Punjabis.
On the other hand, Delhi Police apprehended Punjab-based travel agent Amit Arora, alias Rachit Arora, for operating a large “dunki route” network. He was said to have organized illegal migration for 25-30 people. His arrest came after Maninder Pal Singh, a 20-year-old man from Jalandhar, was deported from Malaysia whose passport was tampered with to conceal bogus visas and immigration stamps.
The authorities have alerted that traffickers use various routes across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and South America. Though some of them knowingly undertake such risky trips, others are duped by deceitful agents who offer legal visas and work permits. Punjab Police continues to shut down such operations, calling for increased public awareness and strict legal action against such criminals.