In a significant crackdown on human trafficking, the United States has deported 54 Indian nationals who entered the country through illegal routes. The group landed in New Delhi on Sunday evening aboard flight OAE-4767 at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. All of them belong to various districts in Haryana. The deportation has prompted Indian authorities to intensify their investigation into the notorious human smuggling network known as the “Donkey Route.”
Preliminary investigations have revealed that these individuals were deceived by agents promising legitimate travel and better opportunities in the U.S. The traffickers reportedly charged each person between Rs 40 lakh and Rs 50 lakh, only to smuggle them through perilous, unauthorized routes. The so-called “Donkey Route” involves crossing multiple international borders on foot through forests, mountains, and rivers — a journey fraught with danger. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has launched raids across Punjab and Haryana, targeting travel agents and middlemen involved in this illicit operation. The probe also covers the money-laundering angle to trace profits made from the illegal trafficking network.
US deports 54 Haryana men, police probe 'Donkey Route' trail
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According to statements from some deported individuals, they were forced to pass through over ten countries, including Guyana, Brazil, Peru, Panama, and Mexico, before being detained at the U.S. border. Officials said this case once again underscores the growing exploitation of young Indians seeking better lives abroad, often falling prey to unscrupulous agents who push them into life-threatening situations under the false promise of foreign employment and settlement..