The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has unearthed a disturbing modus operandi used by operators of the illegal 'donkey' or 'dunki' migration route. In a significant development on Thursday, the probe revealed that a key operator based in Haryana allegedly collected property documents from aspiring migrants as security. This collateral was meant to guarantee payments for arranging their perilous and unlawful journey to the United States via Mexico.
Pan-India Raids and Major Seizures
The federal agency conducted coordinated search operations across multiple states, including Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi. The focus was on individuals described by officials as the "second and third layer persons" involved in the intricate chain of the donkey route syndicate. During these raids, the ED made substantial recoveries of incriminating evidence and assets.
From the premises of a key player in Haryana, officials found records and documents directly related to the donkey business. The investigation confirmed that this individual routinely held onto the property papers of candidates as a surety. This was to ensure the payment of the hefty amounts charged for facilitating the illegal passage to the USA through the Mexico donkey route.
In a major haul, the agency seized assets worth a staggering Rs 19.13 crore from the premises of a Delhi-based travel agent. The seizure included cash amounting to Rs 4.62 crore, along with 313 kg of silver and 6 kg of gold bullion. The searches also covered premises linked to Richi Travels in Jalandhar, Tarun Khosla in Delhi, and Balwan Sharma in Panipat.
Incriminating Evidence and Attached Properties
Officials associated with the probe told ANI that "chat with other involved persons and other incriminating evidence regarding donkey business has been found." Mobile phones and documents were also recovered from other individuals covered under the search operations.
In a related action preceding these raids, the ED recently attached assets worth Rs 5.41 crore belonging to agents identified as Shubham Sharma, Jagjit Singh, and Surmukh Singh. These individuals are accused of generating illegal proceeds by facilitating unlawful migration through the donkey route. The attached properties include:
- Agricultural land
- Residential and commercial properties
- Bank accounts held in their names and those of their family members
The Grim Reality of the Dunki Route
The ED's investigation was initiated based on specific intelligence inputs and took shape after multiple FIRs were registered. This followed the deportation of 330 Indian nationals by US authorities in February 2025. These individuals were flown back to India on military cargo planes after it was discovered they had entered the US illegally.
The agency detailed a harrowing cycle of deception and exploitation. These agents and their associates used to cheat gullible people by luring them under the pretext of sending them to the USA legally and charged hefty amounts for this, the ED stated. Instead of a legal pathway, the victims were taken through risky routes via several South American countries before being pushed across the US-Mexico border illegally.
Throughout the way, people were tortured, extorted for even more money and made to commit illegal acts, the agency's statement revealed. The 'agents' and their networks generated proceeds of crime by cheating numerous persons on false pretexts and obtaining large sums from them, capitalizing on the dreams of a better life abroad.
