Punjab: ED seizes 30 passports, finds hawala trail in ‘donkey route' probe
The raids were conducted in Amritsar, Sangrur, Patiala and Moga cities of Punjab besides Ambala, Kurukshetra and Karnal in Haryana as part of the investigation into money laundering linked to the 'donkey route' — a network facilitating illegal immigration to the US.
ED raids are underway at seven locations in Punjab's Mansa districts besides Kurukshetra and Karnal on Friday. An official said the searches were based on inputs gathered during the search operation on July 9 at 11.
In an official statement, the ED said 30 original passports were found in the house of a travel agent involved in sending people abroad illegally. 'Credible evidence has been recovered which indicates that agents have done cash/hawala transactions running into crores of rupees by duping prospective clients. During the operation, the names of agents and immigration agencies that carried out illegal donkey route business on a large scale have surfaced,' an ED spokesperson said.
The ED initiated the action under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on the basis of 19 FIRs against travel agents and middlemen who exploited Indian citizens seeking to enter the US illegally.
'Incriminating documents, records and digital devices have been recovered and seized. Investigation showed people wanting to go to the US were duped by travel agents and middlemen on the false promise of sending them through legal channels. They were sent through the 'donkey route' and made to cross borders of various countries illegally through dangerous routes with the help of donkers (human trafficking conduits) and the mafia,' the ED said.
The agents in collusion with donkers and the mafia used to create threatening situations for the persons to extort more money from their families, the federal agency said.
As many as 131 youngsters from Punjab were deported on board US military planes in February by the Donald Trump administration. These deportees had attempted to cross the US-Mexico border illegally between January 23 and 28, only to be apprehended by US border security patrols and sent to detention centres.
The ED has recorded the statements of victims deported from the US. Each deportee had paid between ₹45 lakh- ₹55 lakh to travel agents they had never met in person but were connected to through local contacts. The ED asked the deportees to furnish all documents, including bank account details of the travel agents to whom payments were made.
Earlier this month, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested two alleged 'US donkey route' human traffickers after searches at two locations in Himachal Pradesh and Delhi. The accused were identified as Sunny of Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh and Shubham Sandhal of Rupnagar, who was residing in Peeragarhi in the national capital. Their names surfaced during interrogation of Gagandeep Singh, who was arrested by the NIA from New Delhi.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
8 minutes ago
- India.com
The Many Evils Of Piracy, Catalyst Behind Illicit Finance, Terrorism And Terror Funding
New Delhi: Think twice before watching pirated content next time--for it isn't just illegal, it may also be a catalyst behind illicit finance, terrorism and terror funding. The revenue generated by piracy channels, illegal streaming sites could fuel organised crime and terrorism. So next time you watch your favourite TV shows, live sports, or blockbuster movies, be mindful of the fact that your source of entertainment may carry grave threat too. 'This is giving income to run terrorist groups... They are helping terrorist activity indirectly. Viewers should not watch pirated content," according to Zeebiz sources. Investigators tracking the murky trail of illegal Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) services have issued similar warnings from time to time. Authorities say that by subscribing to these platforms, viewers are indirectly helping terrorist activity -- and that is why viewers must use discretion while agreeing to consumer pirated content immediately. At the center of this alarming web, as exposed by investigations and legal actions, is Boss IPTV, one of the world's largest illegal IPTV networks, according to Zeebiz sources. Authorities Crack Down On Boss IPTV And Affiliate Illegal IPTV Services A couple of months ago a major international crackdown uncovered an extensive illegal Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) operation streaming pirated content across various digital platforms. Operating under brand names such as Boss IPTV, Guru IPTV, Tashan IPTV, Brampton IPTV, Vois IPTV, Indian IPTV, Punjabi IPTV, Edmonton IPTV, Boss Entertainment IPTV, and UltrastreamTV, this unlawful network has been implicated in severe copyright infringement and data privacy violations. According to police, these services have been illegally broadcasting premium Indian and international content including channels and programs from Star, Zee Network, Colors, Sony, Sun Network, ETV, Aha, Sonyliv, as well as global streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and international sports leagues—without securing proper licenses or permissions. Delivered through Android/Linux-based set-top boxes or via apps on smart devices, the illegal services were aggressively promoted online via social media, websites, and blogs, offering premium content at prices significantly below legal services. Global South Asian Broadcast Sector Loses Upto $300 Million Annually Due To Piracy Government investigations reveal that these platforms do not pay content owners or platforms for rights, deeply harming the entertainment industry. The global South Asian broadcast sector loses an estimated $200–$300 million annually due to IPTV piracy, affecting licensed platforms like YuppTV. In addition to economic damage, there are serious security concerns: pirated IPTV services often harvest user data—such as credit card information—and are linked to phishing scams, tax evasion, and potentially funding other illegal operations including drug trade and terrorism. Previously in 2021, following a complaint filed by YuppTV, the Faridabad Cyber Crime Branch conducted a raid on Boss IPTV operations in India, leading to the arrest of six individuals connected to the illegal piracy network. YuppTV has further filed a civil complaint in the United States District Court, represented by Goldstein Law Group, LLC ('GLP') targeting Boss IPTV and its affiliated entities. The complaint highlights severe violations of U.S. federal copyright law under 18 U.S.C. § 2319. According to GLP: 'Any subscriber using illegal IPTV pirate services... may be linked to copyright infringement, a crime under U.S. federal law. Convictions may result in felony charges, and non-citizens convicted of such offenses may be subject to deportation under U.S. law.' Recently, another similar case was reported by the Gandhinagar Cyber Crime Unit in Gujarat which arrested Mohammed Murtuza Ali, suspected to be the key figure behind another massive illegal IPTV operation known as Bos IPTV. Operating from Jalandhar, Punjab, Ali allegedly ran a piracy network that drew over five million subscribers and generated close to Rs 700 crore (US $84 million) in annual revenue. Legal authorities suggest that to avoid the possibility of arrest and other penalties, all current users accessing pirated services immediately discontinue use and migrate to legal, licensed platforms such as YuppTV. Visit to obtain legal, authorized access to Indian content.
New Indian Express
8 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Meghalaya asks Centre to convince Bangladesh to erect fencing close to international border
SHILLONG: The Meghalaya government has asked the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to convince Bangladesh for permission to erect border fencing closer to the international boundary to secure a 40 km unfenced stretch without leaving villages outside the fenced area, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said. Under international norms, border fencing is built 150 yards inside a country's territory. But in Meghalaya's case, this would result in several villages falling within "no man's land" or outside the fencing, compromising their safety, he said. "We have taken up with the MHA, urging it to convince the government of Bangladesh, because of this reality, let us go close to the main pillar of the border so that we can avoid fencing outside the village," Tynsong told PTI. Tynsong, who is also Home minister, held a meeting with top Home department officials on Wednesday to review international border security after the recent infiltration attempt and the subsequent arrests of Bangladesh nationals. According to the DyCM, such an arrangement would protect villages without putting them in harm's way. He said there are several habitations within the 40-km unfenced border that will be left exposed if fencing is constructed strictly as per international norms. The push for closer fencing follows an incident in Rongdangai village where six members of an armed gang, led by a Bangladesh Police constable, allegedly crossed into Indian territory, assaulted a local shopkeeper and looted cash and valuables. Tynsong said instructions have been issued to all deputy commissioners and superintendents of police to adopt proactive measures to prevent infiltration along the entire India-Bangla border, from East Jaintia Hills to Dalu in Garo Hills.
Indian Express
8 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Comedian Kapil Sharma's Canada cafe attacked by two gangs in a month. Here's why
In the past two weeks, two gangs in Canada opened fire at a café owned by Indian actor and comedian Kapil Sharma. No injuries were reported in either incident, as the attackers' intent was reportedly to 'instill fear' rather than harm staff or customers. Two Indian gangs have claimed responsibility for these attacks: Harjit Singh Laddi, associated with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), and Goldy Dhillon of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The Laddi group of BKI, which had made a video of the shooting from July 10, claimed responsibility on social media. It said a character on The Kapil Sharma Show had made some 'humorous' remarks on Nihangs Sikhs, and that they tried to contact Sharma through his manager but did not get any response. The post also sought a public apology from Sharma. Dhillon attacked on August 7. He, too, recorded the shooting and posted a video claiming responsibility. The reason for this attack, provided by the Bishnoi gang, was linked to Bollywood superstar Salman Khan. They were angry with Sharma for inviting Khan to his show on Netflix recently. A day after the second shooting, an audio message allegedly from another Bishnoi gang member, Hari alias Harry Boxer, surfaced on social media. In it, he can be heard issuing a warning to Bollywood, threatening that any producer, director, or actor — big or small — who works with Salman Khan will be targeted. The Bishnoi gang has held a long-standing grudge against Khan over the 1998 blackbuck poaching case in Jodhpur, dating back to when Bishnoi was a teenager. Following an attack near Khan's residence in April last year, allegedly by Bishnoi gang shooters, the actor's security has been heightened. After the incident, the Maharashtra Police also increased security for Sharma at his residence in Mumbai. The Delhi Police, which monitors the activities of these gangs even abroad, believes the attacks on the cafe were meant to create fear in India — with extortion as the primary motive. A senior officer told The Indian Express that beyond the stated reason for the shooting at Sharma's café in Surrey, the gangs aimed to send a message to the film industry and local businesses. That's why they recorded and publicised the incident, he said. Both these gangs have their origin in India; however, they are active in Canada. While BKI is a banned organisation in India, because of its separatist leanings and pro-Khalistan stance, Bishnoi has fashioned himself as an 'ultra-nationalist' gangster of late. Who are the attackers? Police said Laddi, who hails from Nawanshahr in Punjab, is suspected to be residing in Germany. He is on the National Investigation Agency's most-wanted list. His name cropped up in connection with the murder of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Vikas Prabhakar in Rupnagar, Punjab, in April 2024. Laddi has been chargesheeted, along with BKI leader Wadhwa Singh Babbar, in relation to the VHP leader's murder. The NIA has announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for information leading to his arrest. Dhillon, alias Gurpreet Singh, is also believed to be staying in Germany. Police said he is actively working for Lawrence Bishnoi by providing foot soldiers for the gang's operations in Punjab and its surrounding areas. His name also cropped up in an extortion case involving a Canada-based businessman in May. The Punjab Police has arrested several men associated with Dhillon. As per police records, he is facing over a dozen cases — including murder, attempt to murder, and violations of the Arms Act — in Punjab.
