The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has launched an investigation into a human trafficking network that was allegedly helping Indian nationals engage in illegal immigration to the United States via Canada. This probe is connected to a tragic incident in 2022 when a four-member family from Dingucha village in Gujarat died of extreme cold while attempting to cross the Canada-US border illegally. The investigation involves multiple Indian individuals, entities, and some Canadian colleges.
Illegal Immigration Investigation and Search Operations
As part of the investigation into illegal immigration, the ED carried out search operations at eight locations in several cities, including Mumbai, Nagpur, Gandhinagar, and Vadodara. The searches, which took place on December 10 and December 19, 2024, were conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The searches targeted a man named Bhavesh Ashokbhai Patel, who is accused of masterminding the illegal immigration operation. Patel and others are alleged to have conspired to send individuals to the United States via Canada using fraudulent methods.
The ED revealed that Patel and his associates were involved in a scheme to lure Indian nationals with the promise of admissions to Canadian colleges. However, the plan was a cover for an illegal immigration operation. After receiving Canadian student visas, these individuals would not attend college but instead cross the border into the US. The fees paid by the students to the colleges were allegedly transferred to the accounts of the individuals running the illegal immigration trafficking network.
Modus Operandi of the Trafficking Network
According to the ED, the human trafficking racket was cleverly disguised under the guise of education. The people involved in the scam would charge between ₹55 lakh and ₹60 lakh per person. The individuals targeted by this operation were led to believe they were being enrolled in Canadian universities, but the true intention was for them to illegally migrate to the United States. Once the individuals obtained Canadian student visas, they were instructed to cross the border into the US instead of attending school in Canada. This scheme was a covert method to facilitate illegal immigration.
The ED’s investigation revealed that two entities, one based in Mumbai and the other in Nagpur, had entered into agreements with foreign universities. These agreements were made with the goal of sending students to foreign countries under the pretext of legal admissions. However, the actual plan was for the students to illegally enter the US after arriving in Canada. The investigation found that one of these entities referred around 25,000 students annually, while the other referred more than 10,000 students to colleges abroad each year, contributing significantly to illegal immigration operations.
Role of Canadian Colleges and Wider Network Involvement
The investigation has also uncovered the involvement of various Canadian colleges in the illegal operation. According to the ED, around 112 colleges in Canada had agreements with one of the entities involved in the racket, while more than 150 other colleges had similar agreements with the second entity. These colleges are now under investigation for their potential role in the illegal migration scheme. While it is not yet clear to what extent these institutions were aware of the illicit activities, their involvement raises significant questions about the operations of certain educational institutions in Canada.
The case first came to light after the tragic deaths of a family from Dingucha village in Gujarat, who died while attempting to cross the Canada-US border in January 2022. The family, part of a larger group of people involved in the trafficking operation, had been deceived into paying large sums of money for a chance to immigrate illegally to the United States. The ED initiated its investigation based on a complaint filed by the Ahmedabad City Crime Branch, which led to the identification of Bhavesh Patel and his associates.
The search operations and investigations have shed light on the scale of this human trafficking network, which was targeting vulnerable individuals looking for better opportunities abroad. The network’s ability to operate under the guise of legal student immigration has raised concerns about the security and integrity of international immigration systems.
The Enforcement Directorate’s probe continues as more information comes to light about the operation, the role of the colleges involved, and the extent of the trafficking network. The investigation underscores the dangers of illegal immigration networks and highlights the tragic consequences that can arise when individuals are deceived into taking perilous journeys in search of better lives.
