NIA arrests Punjab, Himachal men involved in human trafficking to US via ‘dunki’ route

Both, the probe bureau said, were associates of Gagandeep Singh alias Goldy, who was arrested successful March

The National Investigation Agency office successful New Delhi. PTI file

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested 2 cardinal men allegedly progressive successful trafficking of humans to the US via the infamous 'dunki' route, officials said connected Saturday.

The arrests came aft searches astatine a determination each successful Himachal Pradesh and Delhi, they said.

The accused, Sunny alias Sunny Donker of Dharamshala of Kangra territory successful HP, and Shubham Sandhal alias Deep Hundi of Ropar, Punjab, who was surviving successful Outer Delhi's Peeragarhi, were arrested connected Friday, the NIA said successful a statement.

Both, the probe bureau said, were associates of Gagandeep Singh alias Goldy, who was arrested successful March.

Gagandeep was arrested connected a ailment of a victim, who was trafficked to the US utilizing the dunki way and was deported to India this February.

The word dunki, believed to person originated from the connection donkey, refers to an amerciable pathway that immigrants instrumentality to participate countries similar the United States without due documentation.

The risky and arduous question is usually facilitated by a human-trafficking syndicate.

NIA had chargesheeted Gagandeep Singh, a nonmigratory of Tilak Nagar successful New Delhi, successful the lawsuit connected June 27.

According to the NIA investigation, Gagandeep utilized to instrumentality astir Rs 45 lakh from each traveller and would committedness to nonstop them to the US connected a valid ineligible visa.

He would nonstop these radical connected an arduous travel via aggregate countries, including Spain, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico, the probe bureau said.

Gagandeep sent much than 100 radical illegally to the US successful this mode earlier helium was arrested, it said.

Sunny, the main associate/donker of Gagandeep's gang, played a cardinal relation successful facilitating the amerciable travel, the NIA said.

Their victims were physically and mentally harassed connected the mode by the donkers and agents seeking to marque much money, it said.

Shubham Sandhal was an important hawala courier operator, progressive successful transferring funds to donkers successful Latin America, the probe bureau said.

Gagandeep utilized him to transportation portion of the wealth taken from the victims to the donkers based successful Latin America, it said.

NIA, which took implicit the lawsuit from Punjab Police connected March 13, 2025, continues its investigation, the connection said.