New Delhi, July 5 :- The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday arrested two more operatives linked to the notorious ‘US donkey route’ human trafficking network, following raids at two locations in Himachal Pradesh and Delhi.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Sunny alias Sunny Donker from Dharamshala, Kangra district (Himachal Pradesh), and Shubham Sandhal alias Deep Hundi, originally from Ropar (Punjab) and currently residing in Peeragarhi, New Delhi. Both are alleged associates of Gagandeep Singh alias Goldy, the prime accused in the case, who was arrested earlier in March.
The case pertains to the illegal trafficking of Indian nationals to the United States through a complex and dangerous route involving multiple countries, including Spain, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico — infamously referred to as the ‘donkey route’ or ‘dunki.’
Gagandeep Singh, a resident of Tilak Nagar in New Delhi, had been arrested following a complaint filed by a victim who was deported from the US after being trafficked through this illegal route. According to NIA, Singh had duped victims by charging them around ₹45 lakh under the pretense of arranging legal visas, only to send them on treacherous cross-continental journeys.
Sunny is said to have played a key role in coordinating the victims’ movement along this route, acting as a central “donker” who facilitated illegal transit. The NIA described the experiences of trafficked individuals as harrowing, with many subjected to physical and mental abuse by traffickers en route.
Meanwhile, Shubham Sandhal was allegedly involved in the financial backbone of the operation, working as a hawala courier to funnel illicit funds to Latin American agents involved in the trafficking chain. The NIA noted that large sums extorted from victims were routed through him to support the transnational racket.
The case (RC-04/2025/NIA/DLI), originally registered by the Punjab Police and handed over to the NIA on March 13, 2025, has already seen the filing of a chargesheet against Gagandeep Singh on June 27.
The agency has confirmed that investigations are ongoing to dismantle the entire network and bring all perpetrators involved in the trafficking and associated financial crimes to justice.
