Fake Visa Templates, Stamps Seized in Punjab, Haryana: ED

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), investigating illegal immigration via “donkey routes” to the United States, has seized forged immigration stamps, visa templates, passports, and digital devices during coordinated raids across Punjab and Haryana.

The investigations, initiated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) nearly three months ago, followed the filing of 19 FIRs against travel agents and middlemen allegedly facilitating these clandestine migration routes.

Raids and Seizures

• On July 9 and 11, ED teams conducted raids at 11 locations in Mansa (Punjab), and Kurukshetra and Karnal (Haryana), where they recovered:
  • Forged immigration stamps and fake visa templates
  • Original passports
  • Digital devices containing incriminating evidence
  • Records of hawala (illegal money transfer) transactions

Modus Operandi and Money Trail

According to the ED, the counterfeit documents were used to falsify immigration records. These were then exploited by migrants to attempt illegal travel into the U.S. via human trafficking conduits known as “donkeys.” The agency cited evidence suggesting that some agents had amassed significant movable and immovable assets through criminal proceeds.

Travel agents allegedly used international mobile numbers and encrypted messaging apps such as WhatsApp to coordinate with overseas contacts. They also reportedly threatened migrants' families for additional payments.

Victims and Financial Exploitation

In February, U.S. authorities deported 131 young men from Punjab after they were detained near the U.S.–Mexico border. Each had purportedly paid an agent between ₹45 lakh and ₹55 lakh to facilitate their migration.

The ED has obtained victim statements and financial records, including bank account details linked to the travel agents.

Wider Investigations and Legal Action

The PMLA case continues to broaden as more agents, middlemen, and accomplices—including some Indian nationals residing abroad—come under scrutiny. The ED is collaborating with the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which recently made arrests in Himachal Pradesh and Delhi related to similar trafficking networks.

Takeaway

This case underscores a well-organised syndicate in North India offering illegal routes to the U.S. via forged documents and trafficking networks. Authorities warn potential migrants to avoid unverified agents and to report suspicious immigration schemes. The PMLA probe aims not only to dismantle this network but also to recover proceeds of crime used to fund illicit migration.