In a major development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has discovered that 262 Canadian colleges allegedly reached agreements with two Indian entities allegedly involved in a large-scale human trafficking network.
In a statement, the ED revealed that the investigation in a case revealed that “around 112 colleges based in Canada have entered into agreement with one entity and more than 150 with another entity.”
“Further, it is gathered that there are around 1700 agents and partners of based in Gujarat and around 3500 agents and partners of other entity all over India and out of which around 800 are active.”
The revelation came during the investigation of a case that the ED commenced on the basis of First Information Report registered by DCB, Crime Branch, Ahmedabad City, Gujarat against Bhavesh Ashokbhai Patel and others after an Indian family of four was found dead on Canada-US Border January 19, 2022.
In the same vein, ED’s Ahmedabad Zonal Office had conducted search operations on December 10 and 19 under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 at no fewer than eight locations in Mumbai, Nagpur, Gandhinagar and Vadodara as part of its ongoing investigation in the case of Bhavesh Ashokbhai Patel and others (Dingucha case) for conspiring to send the victims to USA through Canada via illegitimate channel thereby committing human trafficking offense
The ED added: “During the course of search operations bank accounts to the tune of Rs 19 lakh were also frozen along and various other incriminating documents and digital devices have been seized.”
The agency revealed further that two vehicles were seized.
According to the findings by the ED, all the accused conspired and lured the “innocent Indian Nationals by charging them huge amount of Rs 55 to 60 lakh per person, for causing them to illegally enter USA through Canada.”
The investigation claimed further that for sending, “The Indian National (s) to USA illegally, the accused arranged admission of the individuals in colleges and Universities based in Canada and thereby applied for students’ visa for Canada. Once the individuals and students reach Canada, instead of joining the college, they illegally crossed the US-Canada Border and never joined college(s) in Canada.”
The agency said: “In view of it, the fee received by colleges based in Canada was remitted back to the individuals’ account. It is gathered that two entities based in Mumbai and Nagpur have entered into agreement for admission of students in universities based in foreign countries on commission basis with an entity, which was contacted by a desirous student for immigrating to USA illegally.
“It is revealed during searches conducted that around 25,000 students are being referred by one entity and more than 10,000 students by another to various colleges based outside India every year.
