On January 19, 2022, a tragic incident unfolded when a Gujarati family — comprising 39-year-old Jagdish Patel, his 35-year-old wife Vaishali, their 11-year-old daughter, and 3-year-old son — succumbed to freezing temperatures while attempting to illegally cross the US-Canada border in Manitoba. The family was abandoned by smugglers during a severe snowstorm, with temperatures plummeting to -37 degrees Celsius.
Now, three years later, an ongoing money laundering investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has unveiled an extensive international human trafficking network. This syndicate allegedly includes at least 260 colleges in Canada that have issued student visas to individuals intending to migrate illegally to the United States via Canada.
According to officials, many individuals found the student visa pathway to be a more convenient alternative compared to the traditionally known ‘donkey route’. Each migrant was reportedly required to pay between Rs 50-60 lakh to agents for arranging the necessary student visa and travel to Canada; however, upon arrival, they often bypassed their educational commitments to attempt crossing into the US illegally.
The ED has conducted searches at eight locations in cities including Mumbai, Nagpur, Gandhinagar, and Vadodara, targeting agents who facilitated the migration of these illegal immigrants through Canadian institutions. Investigations suggest that approximately 35,000 migrants are sent abroad annually by just two agents based in Mumbai and Nagpur. Overall, about 1,700 agents are estimated to be operating in Gujarat alone, with an additional 3,500 across India, many still active despite efforts to dismantle the network.
The ED’s findings revealed that at least two of these agents have established agreements with various international universities and colleges to secure student admissions on a commission basis, all while preparing prospective migrants with the necessary paperwork for student visas. During the recent searches, officials discovered Rs 19 lakh in the bank accounts of those implicated, along with various documents and digital equipment.
This money laundering case is linked to a broader investigation stemming from a police complaint in Ahmedabad regarding Bhavesh Patel, an agent involved in arranging travel for the Patel family.
