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New Delhi: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has seized cash, gold and silver worth approximately ₹19.13 crore during coordinated raids conducted on December 18 across Punjab, Haryana and Delhi in connection with an illegal immigration racket operating through the notorious ‘dunki’ route.
The seizures include ₹4.62 crore in cash, 313 kg of silver, and 6 kg of gold bullion, recovered primarily from the premises of a Delhi-based travel agent, officials said.
The crackdown follows the deportation of 330 Indian nationals from the United States in February 2025, who were flown back on a US military cargo aircraft after being found to have entered the country illegally via Mexico.
Property Papers Used as Collateral
According to the ED, searches were carried out at 13 locations linked to travel agents and facilitators involved in the racket. From the premises of a key accused in Haryana, investigators recovered documents and records related to the ‘dunki’ business.
The agency revealed that the accused would retain property documents of migrants as collateral to ensure payment for facilitating illegal entry into the US through the Mexico route.
Incriminating documents, mobile phones, chats with associates, and other digital evidence establishing the nexus between agents, hawala operators and overseas contacts were also seized during the searches.
Multi-Layered Network
The ED said its earlier investigation had exposed a complex, multi-layered network involving travel agents, middlemen, overseas handlers, hawala operators and logistics providers who coordinated illegal migration through the ‘dunki’ route.
Earlier searches and evidence collection had helped identify second- and third-layer operatives, many of whom were covered in Thursday’s raids. Those searched include Richi Travels (Jalandhar), Tarun Khosla (Delhi) and Balwan Sharma (Panipat).
Assets Already Attached
The agency added that it had earlier attached assets worth ₹5.41 crore belonging to individuals who generated proceeds of crime by illegally sending people abroad. The ED said further investigation is underway to trace the money trail, identify overseas beneficiaries and dismantle the wider syndicate behind the illegal immigration network.
