ED Exposes Dangerous 'Donkey Routes' to US: Rs 60 Lakh for Illegal Entry
The Enforcement Directorate reveals three dangerous 'donkey routes' used to smuggle Indians into the US, charging up to Rs 60 lakh per person.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has blown the lid off a sophisticated human smuggling operation, identifying three perilous 'donkey routes' used by agents to illegally transport Indian nationals into the United States. This revelation follows the arrest of Tarun Khosla, a Delhi-based ticketing agent who allegedly served as a key fixer in a network that charged desperate migrants staggering sums of money to cross the US-Mexico border.
The Price of a Dream: Costs and Deception
Investigations reveal a grim reality where aspiring migrants were lured by middlemen with promises of legal immigration. Instead, they were thrust into dangerous illegal corridors across South and Central America. The cost for these journeys was exorbitant, with charges ranging from Rs 30 lakh to Rs 60 lakh per person.
The ED's probe is closely linked to a massive crackdown in February 2025, which saw the deportation of over 300 Indian nationals from the US after they were caught entering illegally via the Mexico border.
Mapping the 'Donkey Routes'
The agency has detailed three distinct and hazardous paths used to bypass legal immigration channels:
- Route 1: The Central American Shortcut – This route involved flying passengers to El Salvador, followed by a road journey through Mexico to reach Tijuana, the gateway to the US. This path allegedly cost between Rs 35 lakh and Rs 40 lakh.
- Route 2: The South American Trek – A more grueling journey starting with flights via Dubai or Addis Ababa to Guyana. From there, migrants traveled by road through Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, the treacherous Panama jungle, Guatemala, and Mexico, eventually hitting Tijuana. This route was priced between Rs 25 lakh and Rs 30 lakh.
- Route 3: The Continental Odyssey – Revealed by a deportee, this most extensive route began in Guyana and traversed Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico before reaching the US border.
The Role of the 'Fixer'
Tarun Khosla, currently in ED custody until October 30, is alleged to have been the operational hub of this network. Working with agents across Punjab and Haryana, Khosla reportedly collected passports and money from migrants in Delhi.
His role went beyond simple ticketing. The ED alleges that Khosla:
- Arranged visas and air tickets to transit countries like Suriname, Ecuador, and Guyana.
- Forged yellow fever vaccination certificates to bypass health regulations.
- Coordinated with local facilitators, known as 'donkers', who guided migrants through illegal border crossings.
- Decided the specific routes and the pricing for individual travelers.
Digital Evidence and Global Coordination
The scale of the operation became clear after the ED seized Khosla's mobile phones. Recovered data and chat logs allegedly show him functioning as an "immigration-clearance fixer."
The evidence points to tight coordination with international contacts to manage passenger handling at foreign airports, process payments in US dollars, and secure 'OK to Board' endorsements. The investigation, spearheaded by the ED's Jalandhar zonal office, stems from FIRs registered by the Punjab and Haryana Police under the Emigration Act, 1983, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, as part of a broader money-laundering probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.