SHOCKING! 230 Indians stranded in UAE's Sharjah after paying Rs 3 crore for failed 'Dunki' route to US
By Sunita Iyer | First Published Dec 14, 2024, 3:29 PM ISTA dangerous promise of illegal entry into the United States has left 230 Indians, including 170 Gujaratis, stranded in Sharjah.
A dangerous promise of illegal entry into the United States has left 230 Indians, including 170 Gujaratis, stranded in Sharjah. The group, comprising families and individuals, was reportedly assured a clandestine route to the US via Brazil, facilitated by a chartered flight from Dubai.
The plan, allegedly orchestrated by a network of immigration agents, involved crossing the Mexico-US border by road after reaching Brazil. According to sources familiar with the case, the stranded individuals, including 60 from Delhi and Punjab, are currently housed at Dana Hotel in Sharjah.
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Investigations have revealed the involvement of several agents, including key figures identified as Sameer, Dhaval, and Hasmukh, with Hasmukh allegedly operating as the financier from Dubai. Other agents referred to as "Paji" and "Thakur Saheb" are also implicated, alongside a Dubai-based coordinator known as "RK," who is believed to be pivotal in managing the operation.
"Passengers arranged by agents from Kadi, Kalol, and Ahmedabad were supposed to board the chartered flight," said a source close to the investigation was quoted as saying in a Times of India report.
The agents reportedly collected Rs 3 crore in advance to secure the flight, originally scheduled for December 11 but later rescheduled to December 20 due to border concerns.
Illegal immigration routes exposed
This is not the first such operation to come under scrutiny. On December 26, 2023, a chartered flight carrying suspected illegal immigrants from India, primarily from Gujarat and North India, was intercepted at France's Vatry Airport. Passengers from that flight were deported directly to Mumbai.
Sources reveal that following the exposure of the France operation, agents temporarily halted this method but later devised alternative routes. These included flights via Uzbekistan and Libya's Ghadames Airline charters, though these too were shut down under pressure from the US. Despite these setbacks, agents continued to exploit the aspirations of individuals seeking a better life abroad, leaving hundreds stranded in Dubai.
Passengers stranded in Sharjah were reportedly assured they would reach the US before President-elect Donald Trump assumed office, though agents have failed to provide clarity on the flight route or next steps. The delay has left the group in limbo, with many facing uncertainty about their future.
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