Illegal Trafficking of Indians from Canada to the U.S. Under ED Scrutiny

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has initiated an investigation into the role of certain Canadian colleges, universities, and Indian agencies in the illegal trafficking of Indian citizens from Canada to the United States. Several organized groups have been facilitating human trafficking under the guise of higher education, leading to tragic incidents and fatalities along the Canada-U.S. border.

One such incident occurred on January 19, 2022, when four members of a family from Dingucha village in Gujarat lost their lives due to severe cold while attempting to cross the Canada-U.S. border illegally. Taking cognizance of an FIR filed by the Ahmedabad police in this case, the ED has launched a money laundering probe involving Indian agencies.

According to details revealed by the ED, certain intermediary agencies target individuals seeking to migrate to the U.S. by first securing admissions for them in specific Canadian educational institutions. Once the individuals obtain Canadian visas, they avoid enrolling in these institutions and instead illegally cross the Canada-U.S. border as undocumented immigrants.

The investigation also uncovered that some Canadian educational institutions collude in this scheme by refunding a portion of the tuition fees paid by the students while retaining a commission. The intermediary agencies reportedly charge each individual ₹55-60 lakh for facilitating the entire process. The ED noted that one Mumbai-based agency has been responsible for sending approximately 25,000 people annually to the U.S., while another organization has trafficked 10,000 individuals each year.