A sprawling network of illegal immigration agents, exploiting the dreams of rural Indians yearning for a better life abroad, has come under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate (ED). In a major crackdown on the infamous Dunki route racket,
ED sleuths on Wednesday raided 11 locations across Punjab and Haryana — including Amritsar, Sangrur, Patiala, Moga, Ambala, Kurukshetra, and Karnal —unearthing critical evidence linked to human trafficking, money laundering, and transnational criminal networks.
The raids follow the deportation of hundreds of Indian nationals from the United States earlier this year, many of whom returned home in handcuffs after a harrowing journey that spanned continents and involved life-threatening risks.
The ongoing investigation is being spearheaded by the ED’s Jalandhar Zonal Office under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), based on 17 First Information Reports (FIRs) registered by police authorities in Punjab and Haryana. These complaints, filed by duped migrants or their families, exposed how unsuspecting individuals were lured by promises of legal migration to the US and other Western nations, only to be smuggled via dangerous, illegal third-country routes involving forests, deserts, and sea crossings. In many cases, agents reportedly charged Rs 45 to Rs 50 lakh per person, exploiting the desperation of jobless youth from rural belts.
The ED said that the raids were aimed at collecting evidence against key players in this racket - travel agents, visa consultants, and middlemen - who allegedly acted in collusion with international human smuggling syndicates, often referred to as “Donkers” or mafia handlers. During the searches, investigators seized incriminating documents, digital devices, and unaccounted cash. Sources indicated that the agents were operating sophisticated networks with contacts across Central America, Mexico, and Europe - key waypoints in the ‘Dunki route’ chain.
Crucially, the probe was triggered after detailed testimonies were recorded from several Indian nationals deported from the United States in February 2025. Their statements helped ED piece together how the agents orchestrated these illegal journeys, funneling people across multiple countries without proper documentation. The accounts also revealed how families were coerced into making additional payments mid-route, often under threats of violence or abandonment in remote terrains.
Officials said that many of these agents targeted the economically vulnerable in Punjab and Haryana’s hinterlands, where aspirations to migrate are often fueled by stories of success abroad. “They sell a dream - of comfort, prosperity, and a secure future. What these people get instead is trauma, danger, and exploitation,” an official involved in the probe stated. The ED believed that a significant portion of the payments made to agents was routed through hawala channels, and efforts are underway to trace the laundering of these illicit funds.
This is not the first instance of ED probing the ‘Dunki route’ network. Previous raids in Punjab and other states have unearthed massive volumes of forged documents and travel records. However, the current crackdown is being seen as a major step forward, given the scale and coordination of the operation and its direct link to mass deportations from the US.
ED officials confirmed that more suspects are being identified as analysis of seized digital data and documents progresses.
ED Crackdown on Dunki Route Racket
- Raids conducted at 11 locations across Punjab and Haryana, including Amritsar, Sangrur, Patiala, Moga, Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal
- Documents, electronic devices, and unaccounted cash seized from agents’ premises
- Probe initiated under PMLA based on 17 FIRs registered in Punjab and Haryana
- Statements of several US-deported migrants recorded to trace racket’s operations
- Key agents and middlemen identified, many linked to transnational smuggling networks
- Evidence collected of agents charging `45-`50 lakh per person for illegal migration
