ED Cracks Down on Major Human Trafficking Syndicate: Rs 19 Lakh Frozen, Vehicles Seized in Dingucha Case
(Judicial Quest News Network)
In a significant breakthrough, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Ahmedabad Zonal Office, conducted coordinated search operations across multiple locations on December 10 and 19, 2024, targeting key individuals and locations in Mumbai, Nagpur, Gandhinagar, and Vadodara. This operation was part of an ongoing investigation into a high-profile human trafficking syndicate, led by Bhavesh Ashok bhai Patel and others, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
The case, known as the Dingucha case, revolves around a well-orchestrated conspiracy to illegally smuggle individuals from India to the United States through Canada, circumventing legal immigration channels. The accused lured innocent victims from Gujarat, offering to send them to the U.S. under the guise of student visas for Canadian colleges, while charging exorbitant amounts ranging from Rs 55 lakh to Rs 60 lakh per person.
The investigation was launched following a tragic incident on January 19, 2022, when a family of four from Dingucha village in Gujarat was found dead on the Canada-U.S. border. The victims, having fallen prey to the traffickers, were among several others exploited in this scheme. These individuals were promised an education in Canada, only to be abandoned as they crossed into the U.S. unlawfully, bypassing the very institutions they were enrolled in. The fees paid to Canadian colleges were later refunded back to the victims, further implicating the fraudulent nature of the operation.
In the course of the search operations, ED authorities froze bank accounts holding approximately Rs 19 lakh, alongside the seizure of critical documents and digital devices. Additionally, two vehicles were confiscated, believed to be involved in the illegal operations. The probe has uncovered disturbing details about the scale of this trafficking network, revealing that two entities—one based in Mumbai and the other in Nagpur—were actively engaged in facilitating illegal immigration to the U.S. by securing fake student admissions in Canadian institutions.
These entities reportedly enter into agreements with foreign universities on a commission basis, referring thousands of students annually. ED investigations indicate that around 25,000 students were referred by one entity, and over 10,000 by another, to colleges abroad each year. Additionally, around 1,700 agents in Gujarat and approximately 3,500 across India are involved, with 800 of them actively participating in the illegal operation.
The probe also revealed that 112 Canadian colleges had entered into agreements with one of the entities, while more than 150 colleges were tied to the other. These institutions are now under investigation for their potential involvement in this large-scale illegal immigration scheme.
The ED’s investigation continues as authorities work to uncover the full extent of the syndicate’s operations and ensure that those involved face the full consequences of their actions under Indian law.
