Mass arrests in Delhi as police crack down on illegal immigration agents | Delhi News | Parami News

NEW DELHI: The number of arrests involving agents assisting illegal immigrants through false documents has increased by 107% in 2024 compared to 2023. That’s up from 98 in 2023.
Most of the arrested agents were from Punjab (70), followed by Haryana (32), Delhi and Uttar Pradesh (25 each) and West Bengal (17). The remaining suspects are from other states and countries including Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (IGIA) Usha Rangnani stressed that more and more passengers are falling victim to fraudsters. “Many passengers fall victim to scammers who promise easy entry into foreign countries in exchange for an upfront fee,” she said. She urged the public to remain vigilant and advised them to verify the qualifications of agents providing immigration services, especially when those services look When it feels too good to be true.
The data also shows a significant increase in the number of Notices of Concern (LOC), with 121 issued this year. In addition, 56 alleged criminals were arrested, some involving cases dating back a decade.
In cases involving fake visas, 71 agents were arrested for creating visas that closely resembled real ones, deceiving passengers and immigration officials. A further 16 agents were arrested for taking advantage of porous border and visa-on-arrival policies to facilitate illegal travel via “donkey roads”. These agents transport passengers to countries such as Dubai, Nicaragua, Cuba and Mexico, and then to the United States.
Further arrests included 31 agents suspected of impersonation and identity fraud, including three agents who reissued passports for individuals previously deported or rejected by immigration authorities, and five agents who forged seaman’s manuals to allow passengers to sail internationally as crew members. travel. Another 23 agents were arrested for forging passports and tampering with immigration stamps.
Another 18 arrested agents used fake stamps to falsify travel records, and four agents helped passengers identify individuals on the passports they were using. Nine agents were arrested for assisting in “non-departure” cases, in which passengers return to their home country without recording their departure in the immigration system.
Two major cases in 2024 highlighted the seriousness of these crimes. In one case, a passenger paid 5 million rupees to an agent named Sultan, who made five attempts to fly the victim to the United States via Vietnam, Qatar and Senegal. After being deported and jailed, the financial and emotional toll on the victims serves as a cautionary tale. In another case, two agents promoted a “Canadian visa guarantee” on social media, leading to the arrest of seven scammers.