ED Investigates Canadian Colleges and Indian Entities in Human Trafficking Linked to US Border Crossings

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is probing the involvement of certain Canadian colleges and Indian entities in a money laundering case. This case is linked to the trafficking of Indians into the United States from Canada. The investigation follows the tragic death of an Indian family from Dingucha village, Gujarat, who perished while attempting to cross the Canada-US border illegally on January 19, 2022.

The ED's investigation stems from an FIR filed by Ahmedabad Police against Bhavesh Ashokbhai Patel and others. They are accused of orchestrating a scheme to send Indians to the US through Canada using illegal means, thus committing human trafficking. The agency discovered that the accused facilitated admissions for individuals wanting to enter the US illegally into Canadian colleges and universities.

Illegal Entry Scheme Uncovered

According to the ED, these individuals applied for Canadian student visas but did not attend the colleges upon arrival. Instead, they crossed into the US illegally. The fees paid to Canadian colleges were allegedly refunded to these individuals' accounts. Innocent Indians were reportedly charged between Rs 55 and Rs 60 lakh each for this illegal entry into the US.

On December 10 and December 19, fresh searches were conducted at eight locations in Mumbai, Nagpur, Gandhinagar, and Vadodara. During these searches, it was found that two entities, one in Mumbai and another in Nagpur, had agreements for admitting Indians into foreign universities on a commission basis.

Widespread Network of Agents

The ED revealed that one entity referred about 25,000 students annually to various overseas colleges, while another referred over 10,000 students. Approximately 1,700 agents or partners are based in Gujarat, with around 3,500 across India; about 800 are currently active. These agents facilitated admissions into foreign institutions.

Further investigations revealed that around 112 Canadian colleges have agreements with one entity and more than 150 with another. The involvement of these colleges in this case is under scrutiny by the ED. It is suspected that some of these institutions near the Canada-US border may be complicit in this trafficking racket.

The ED continues to investigate this complex network involving educational institutions and agents. The aim is to uncover all parties involved in facilitating illegal immigration through fraudulent means. The agency remains committed to bringing those responsible for exploiting innocent individuals to justice.