Main accused in ‘dunki’ trafficking to US held

Mohali : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a key accused allegedly involved in sending a man illegally to the US via the infamous ‘dunki’ route.

The term ‘dunki’, believed to have originated from the word “donkey”, refers to an illegal pathway that immigrants take to enter countries like the United States without proper documentation. Their risky and arduous travel is usually facilitated by a human-trafficking syndicate.

Accused Gagandeep Singh alias Goldie, a resident of west Delhi’s Tilak Nagar, has been arrested by the NIA, an official statement said on Sunday. Goldie was allegedly paid around Rs 45 lakh by a victim from Punjab’s Tarn Taran district for illegal immigration, it said.

The victim was sent to the US via the ‘dunki’ route in December 2024, the statement issued by the NIA said. He was deported to India by US authorities on February 15 and had thereafter filed a complaint against the accused “agent”.

The case was originally registered by the Punjab Police and later, taken over by the NIA on March 13. NIA investigations revealed that Goldie, who did not possess a licence or legal permit or registration for sending people abroad, had used the ‘dunki’ route and sent the victim to the US via Spain, El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico.