India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) has launched an investigation into a shocking case of human trafficking involving Indian students, Canadian colleges, and large sums of money. The investigation uncovers how a network of agents and entities facilitated illegal immigration into the US by exploiting Canada’s student visa system.

A Tragic Beginning

This investigation was sparked by a heartbreaking incident in 2022. A family of four from the village of Dingucha in Gujarat froze to death while trying to cross the US-Canada border illegally. This tragedy shed light on a larger, hidden operation.

The Conspiracy Unveiled

According to the ED, Bhavesh Ashokbhai Patel is the main accused in a “well-planned conspiracy” to smuggle Indians into the US. Patel and his team reportedly secured admissions for people into Canadian colleges, not for education, but as a cover for illegal immigration.

Here’s how the operation worked:

• Step 1: Individuals were enrolled in Canadian colleges with fake promises of education.
• Step 2: Once they obtained student visas and entered Canada, they didn’t attend classes but instead attempted to cross the US-Canada border illegally.

Even more suspicious, tuition fees paid to these colleges were often refunded to the students’ accounts. This raised questions about whether the colleges themselves were complicit in the crime.

The Price of Illegal Entry

Victims paid a hefty price for these illegal services — between 5.5 to 6 million rupees ($64,000 to $70,000) each. The ED revealed that the operation involved multiple agents and entities, including two major organizations that helped send over 35,000 Indian students abroad every year.

The Reach of the Network

This trafficking network is massive. The ED discovered:

• Around 1,700 active agents in Gujarat and 3,500 across the rest of India.
• Agreements between Indian entities and over 250 Canadian colleges.
• Many of these colleges, especially those near the Canada-US border, are suspected of being part of the scam.

Fake Documents Flooding the System

Adding to the controversy, Canada’s immigration department reported discovering over 10,000 fake student acceptance letters in 2024, mostly linked to students from Gujarat and Punjab. Out of 500,000 documents reviewed, 80% of these fake letters came from these two states.

A Larger Issue at Play

Canada is a popular destination for Indian students, with 427,000 Indians enrolled in Canadian institutions as of August 2024. However, this growing student population has also become an easy target for exploitation.

What’s Next?

As the ED digs deeper, they’ve already raided locations across India, including Mumbai, Nagpur, Gandhinagar, and Vadodara. This is just the beginning of unraveling a scheme that has ruined lives and tarnished the dreams of countless students.

This case is a stark reminder of the risks involved in seeking shortcuts to success abroad. It also highlights the need for stricter regulations to protect vulnerable individuals from falling prey to such scams.