Donkey Route: After the strict visa rules in Canada, the businessmen have once again heated up the market of illegal human trafficking. Agents are illegally getting youngsters to enter America by paying Rs 50 lakh each. This work is going on in full swing in Punjab, especially in Jalandhar.
What is the Donkey route?
Travel agents used to arrange direct flights from Delhi to Serbia and land in Belgrade. After this, they are taken from Hungary to Austria. Austria shares its borders with Italy, Switzerland and Germany. Indians used to reach there illegally and this journey is called the Donkey route. From here, most of the people cross the Mexican border and enter the US.
What is the other way?
The second route goes through Serbia. In view of illegal travel, Serbia has banned visa-free travel for Indians from January 1, 2023. Till December last year, Indians could go to Serbia without a visa and stay there for 30 days. Indians used to go to European countries illegally through Serbia. All the work of reaching America from India is done illegally through donkey. In this way, it takes weeks or months instead of days to reach America. In this way, the smugglers who help them reach America also charge a huge amount. In a way, a whole cartel or network works in this.
The young man spends 50 lakh rupees
In this, people from India do not reach America directly. Instead, they reach through many countries, first taken to a country in the Middle East or Europe. Then from here the next stop is Africa or South America. After that, it is taken from here to Southern Mexico, then Northern Mexico and finally from the Mexico border to the United States. Its total cost is Rs 50 lakh. According to a figure, from 2023 to July 2024, 17 thousand 774 Indians have been caught crossing the US border.