Economic Fraud
ED Targets Visa Brokers and Touts; Summons Issued to 11 US Deportees
After cracking down on three immigration firms in Chandigarh and Ludhiana last week, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has now summoned 11 deportees from the United States to unravel the illegal immigration racket.
The summonses require the deportees to appear at the ED’s Jalandhar office next week, where officials will delve into the intricate web of fraudulent operations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The agency is tracing financial transactions to expose the full extent of the network involved.
The Money Trail: ED’s Focus
The investigation stems from 19 FIRs lodged by returnees across Punjab, revealing that victims paid staggering sums—ranging from Rs 45 lakh to Rs 55 lakh—to unscrupulous agents for illegal passage to the US. Officials have already retrieved these FIRs from police portals and are now following the money trail.
Exclusive Fraud Risk Management Bootcamp for BFSI Professionals in Lucknow on March 24 – Register Now!
Who’s Been Summoned?
Among the 11 deportees initially called for questioning, 10 are from Punjab, and one hails from Haryana. The ED strategically selected them based on the hefty payments they made to travel agents, hoping their testimonies will uncover crucial leads.
More Deportees May Be Called
So far, 131 individuals from Punjab have been deported via four flights, and sources indicate that more could be summoned as the probe deepens. “Once we gather substantial intelligence from these deportees, additional returnees may also be questioned,” an ED official stated.
This crackdown marks a major step in dismantling fraudulent immigration networks that exploit desperate aspirants seeking a future abroad. As investigations intensify, more revelations about the modus operandi of these illicit immigration firms are expected to surface.