ED seizes crores in cash, gold, and silver in ‘Donkey Route’ case

You don’t have any Active Subscription.

Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription

Enforcement Directorate. Image for the purpose of representation only. | Photo Credit: File

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized ₹4.68 crore in cash, gold bars worth ₹8.07 crore, and silver bars valued at about ₹6.42 crore during searches at 13 locations across Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi in connection with a money laundering investigation in the “Donkey Route” case linked to illegal immigration into the United States.

According to the agency, besides cash, gold bars and silver bars weighing 5.9 kg and 313 kg were impounded, along with gold coins worth ₹2.7 lakh and several digital devices and documents. Over 50 original passports of third parties were also impounded from various premises.

On December 15, the ED provisionally attached movable and immovable properties worth ₹5.41 crore, including agricultural land, residential and commercial premises, and bank accounts.

The money-laundering probe stems from multiple First Information Reports registered by the police in Punjab and Haryana concerning the deportation of 330 Indian nationals to India in February 2025 by the U.S. government, as they had entered the country illegally.

The ED found that various agents and their associates deceived people by promising legal entry into the U.S. and charged hefty sums. The syndicate involved a large network of travel agents, middlemen, “donkers” (human trafficking agents), overseas associates, hawala operators, and providers of lodging and other logistical arrangements.

The accused reportedly sent people via dangerous routes through various South American countries, eventually making them enter the U.S. illegally through the Mexico border. Midway, the victims were subjected to torture, forced to pay additional sums, and coerced into committing illegal acts.

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.