ED Investigates Human Trafficking Involving Over 200 Canadian Colleges

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) announced on Tuesday that it is investigating the alleged involvement of more than 200 Canadian colleges in a human trafficking case. This revelation comes amid the agency’s probe into a well-coordinated scheme that exploited students for illegal immigration to the United States.

The ED’s Ahmedabad Zonal Office recently conducted search operations at eight locations, including Mumbai, Nagpur, Gandhinagar, and Vadodara, on December 10 and 19. These searches were carried out under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

In its statement on Tuesday, the ED clarified that the operations were part of an ongoing investigation into “Bhavesh Ashokbhai Patel and others [Dingucha case].” The case involves an elaborate conspiracy to traffic individuals to the United States through Canada using illegal channels. “Bank accounts containing approximately ₹19 lakh have been frozen, and various incriminating documents, digital devices, and two vehicles have been seized,” the statement added.

The investigation was initiated after a tragic incident on January 19, 2022, when a family of four Indian nationals from Dingucha village, Gujarat, was found dead near the Canada-US border. Following this, the Ahmedabad City Crime Branch registered an FIR against Bhavesh Ashokbhai Patel and others.

According to the ED, the accused conspired to lure innocent Indian nationals by charging exorbitant sums of ₹55-60 lakh per person for facilitating their illegal entry into the United States via Canada.

The ED explained that the accused arranged for individuals to secure admission in Canadian colleges or universities as part of the trafficking scheme. “The ED investigation revealed that for sending the Indian Nationals to the USA illegally, the accused arranged admission of the individuals in Colleges/Universities based in Canada and thereby applied for students’ visas for Canada,” the agency said.

However, the individuals would not attend the Canadian colleges upon arrival. Instead, they would use Canada as a transit point to cross into the United States illegally. The ED noted, “Once the individuals/students reach Canada, instead of joining the college, they illegally crossed the US-Canada border and never joined the college(s) in Canada.”

Further details revealed that the fees paid to Canadian colleges were refunded to the students’ accounts once they entered the United States. The agency disclosed that two entities in Mumbai and Nagpur collaborated with other organizations to arrange such admissions on a commission basis. “An entity, contacted by desirous students, facilitated admissions into foreign universities to aid in illegal immigration to the USA,” the ED stated.

The extent of the operation is vast, as revealed during the searches. According to the ED, approximately 25,000 students are referred annually to various colleges abroad by one entity, while another entity refers over 10,000 students per year.

The agency added that the network of agents involved in the scheme is widespread. “It is gathered that there are around 1700 agents/partners based in Gujarat and around 3500 agents/partners of other entities across India, with about 800 of them currently active,” the ED said.

Moreover, the investigation pointed to agreements between Canadian colleges and these agents. “Around 112 colleges based in Canada have entered into an agreement with one entity and more than 150 with another entity. Their involvement in the instant case is under investigation,” the statement concluded.

The ED continues to probe the depth of this operation, seeking to unravel the connections and ensure accountability for those exploiting individuals through such deceptive practices.