Dunki Racket: ED searches 11 locations in Punjab, Haryana

New Delhi: Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday carried out searches at 11 locations in Punjab and Haryana in connection with its money laundering probe into the 'Dunki route' immigration case pertaining to illegal Indian immigrants deported from the US this year.

Searches were carried out in Amritsar, Sangrur, Patiala, Moga, Ambala, Kurukshetra and Karnal. The agency had launched a money laundering probe under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act on the basis of 17 FIRs registered by police authorities in Punjab and Haryana against travel/visa agents and middlemen who allegedly duped various individuals aspiring to go to the US.

People in the know said that during probe ED gathered that the agents targeted innocent persons willing to go abroad and on the false promise of sending them abroad through legal channels and via flights they charged ₹45-50 lakh per person.


However, the agents used to send people through dunki routes - by crossing borders of many countries illegally through dangerous/jungle routes under the influence of mafias, people quoted above said. ED sources added these agents in collusion with donkers and mafia created such a threatening situation for individuals and their families that they were forced to pay more money. ED has recorded statements of a few deportees.