NEW DELHI, July 5 — The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two alleged operatives of a human trafficking syndicate that smuggled Indian nationals to the United States using the notorious ‘dunki’ route, officials said on Saturday.
The two accused—Sunny alias Sunny Donker of Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, and Shubham Sandhal alias Deep Hundi of Ropar, Punjab—were taken into custody following raids at separate locations in Himachal and Outer Delhi’s Peeragarhi on Friday.
Both are believed to be close associates of Gagandeep Singh alias Goldy, a key accused arrested in March after a victim deported from the US earlier this year filed a complaint.
According to the NIA, Gagandeep ran a large-scale human trafficking network that charged around ₹45 lakh per person under the pretense of providing legitimate US visas. Instead, the victims were routed through a dangerous and illegal journey via countries such as Spain, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico—eventually reaching the US border.
The agency stated that Gagandeep trafficked over 100 individuals through this high-risk corridor before being arrested. He was chargesheeted on June 27.
Sunny, identified as a primary donker or field operative, allegedly coordinated logistics and movements along the illegal route. “He played a central role in facilitating the perilous journey, often involving physical and mental harassment of the victims en route,” the agency said in its statement.
Shubham Sandhal, meanwhile, was described as a crucial hawala courier who handled illegal fund transfers. “He transferred large sums collected from the victims to Latin American agents through informal channels, enabling the trafficking chain to function smoothly,” the NIA said.
Both men were allegedly instrumental in sustaining the international network of smugglers and donkers connected to Gagandeep’s syndicate.
The term dunki, widely understood to derive from ‘donkey,’ refers to the treacherous, undocumented migration routes used to enter foreign countries—especially the United States—illegally.
The NIA took over the case from the Punjab Police on March 13 this year and has since been working to dismantle the entire network. The investigation remains active, with more arrests and revelations expected in the coming weeks.
