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An Indian man, Gurwinder Singh, was deported back to India on February 15 after a failed attempt to enter the United States through an illegal migration network.
The journey cost him a significant sum and led to his subsequent arrest in Amritsar on outstanding warrants. Singh's multi-stage journey began in December 2023 with a tourist visa to Nairobi, Kenya, obtained after paying a travel agent Sh2.2 million (Rs 12.50 lakh). Denied entry by Kenyan authorities due to a fraudulent passport, he returned to Mumbai. Undeterred, Singh, along with his wife, Hardeep Kaur, engaged additional travel agents who promised safe passage to the US through Russia.
By March 2024, Singh had reached Thailand, incurring an additional Sh1.5 million (Rs 8.50 lakh) in expenses. Instead of the promised US destination, he was rerouted to Moscow. Further payments were coerced from Kaur, including Sh1.1 million (Rs 6.50 lakh) for a supposed ticket to Mexico. Instead, Singh was directed to Belarus, where an attempt to illegally cross the border led to his apprehension by the Belarusian army and a three-day detention in a Russian jail. Following his release, Singh briefly transited through Abu Dhabi on a tourist visa before being sent back to India.
The couple then engaged another agent, Satnam Singh, who demanded Sh5.7 million (Rs 32 lakh) for a final attempt to reach the US. Singh's itinerary took him through Guyana and Brazil, with Kaur making an additional Sh1.8 million (Rs 10 lakh) payment. From Brazil, he traversed the Panama jungle, Guatemala, and Mexico, ultimately reaching the US-Mexico border. Despite a final payment by Kaur of Sh2.3 million (Rs 13 lakh), Singh was detained upon arrival in the US on January 25 and subsequently deported.
Upon his return to Amritsar on February 15, Singh was arrested by Indian authorities on pending non-bailable warrants related to a 2021 snatching case in Ludhiana. Police records also reveals his involvement in two additional criminal cases of robbery and snatching in Ludhiana and Faridkot.
Singh's experience underscores the risks associated with illegal migration and the potential for exploitation by criminal networks.