ED uncovers major human trafficking racket

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has found a large human trafficking network comprising an agreement between 262 Canadian colleges and two Indian agencies. The discovery comes while the agency is investigating the illegal practice of immigration.

In keeping with a previous ED estimate, around 112 Canadian colleges were aligned with an Indian entity, whereas over 150 were found collaborating with another. These, it is said, also used a vast agency network — 1,700 from Gujarat and 3,500 from all parts of India. Of those, around 800 remain active in assisting illegal immigration.

The probe traces its roots to January 19, 2022, when a four-member family from Dingucha village in Gujarat was found dead near the Canada-US border. The Ahmedabad Crime Branch initially filed a FIR against Bhavesh Ashokbhai Patel and others, so the ED had to act.

As part of its investigation, the ED conducted searches at eight locations, including Mumbai, Nagpur, Gandhinagar and Vadodara, in December. These operations carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act of 2002, resulted in the freezing of Rs 19 lakh in bank accounts and the seizure of incriminating documents, digital evidence and two vehicles.

The probe has revealed a well-planned scam in which people were paid Rs 55 to 60 lakh per head to enter the US through Canada.