CHANDIGARH: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued summons to 11 illegal immigrants recently deported from the United States (US) as part of an investigation targeting travel agents involved in facilitating illegal immigration through the so-called "Dunki Route."
Sources revealed that on Tuesday, the ED sent summons to 11 illegal immigrants who were deported from the US. Among them, at least one is from Haryana, and others are from Punjab.
These deportees have been instructed to appear at the ED's Jalandhar office on different dates. The ED has initiated an investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to trace the proceeds of crime.
According to sources, the ED had initially analysed 15 cases, and managed to obtain details and addresses of 11 deportees.
So far, the Punjab Police has registered 15 cases against travel agents based on complaints from the deportees after their debriefing. However, the ED has not yet officially requested details from the police, sources said.
The Dunki Route is a well-organized network operated by agents and touts in multiple countries. This route allows illegal immigrants to travel through air routes, forests, and rivers to reach Mexico, from where they cross into the US.
Further, sources highlighted that preliminary data collected by state government officials after questioning the deportees at Amritsar International Airport shows that more than Rs 44 crore was paid to travel agents.
On average, each person spent between Rs 40 to Rs 50 lakh to reach the US illegally via the Dunki Route.
A total of 345 illegal immigrants have been deported from the US so far. Among these, 131 deportees belong to Punjab and arrived in four batches after the US began mass deportations of illegal immigrants, following Donald Trump’s presidency, which began on January 20.
The first flight from the US, carrying 104 illegal immigrants, landed at Amritsar International Airport on February 5, with 31 of them from Punjab.
The second flight landed on February 15 with 116 deportees, including 65 from Punjab. On February 16, the third flight arrived with 112 deportees, 31 of whom were from Punjab.
The final batch of 12 deportees arrived on February 23 from Panama on a commercial Turkish Airlines flight at IGI Airport in Delhi, with four from Punjab.
In recent years, many young people from Punjab have fallen victim to unscrupulous travel agents exploiting their desire to migrate abroad. These agents have used routes like the "Dunki Route," student visas, and fraudulent marriages to profit from the desperation of youth.
Over the past three years, Punjab has registered 3,225 First Information Reports (FIRs) against travel agents, with more than 1,100 cases filed under the Punjab Prevention of Human Smuggling Act, 2012.
