Youth lured with work visa on Instagram & Facebook, 25 Punjab travel firms booked

Amid rising incidents of travel agencies sending gullible youths to Western nations via donkey route or to Russia to fight its war against Ukraine, the Punjab Police’s NRI and Cyber Crime wings in coordination with the Protectorate of Emigrants, Chandigarh, launched a crackdown against erring agencies.

The authorities booked 25 travel agencies operating from different parts of the state for illegally advertising employment opportunities on social media platforms, mainly Instagram (IG) and Facebook (FB). The Protectorate of Emigrants had flagged the rising trend of advertising on Instagram and Facebook wherein travel agents lure youths by offering “sure shot” jobs in foreign countries with easy documentation.

ADGP Praveen K Sinha said these unscrupulous agencies had been operating and offering jobs without possessing the requisite licence and permissions. “We checked the online platforms and after verifying their credentials, FIRs were registered against them,” he said.

A total of 20 FIRs have been registered under Sections 24/25 of the Emigration Act at various NRI police stations in the state, including in Amritsar, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana, Patiala, Sangrur and SAS Nagar.

Sinha said the operation specifically targeted those illegal agencies, which were advertising on social platforms offering overseas jobs to unsuspecting victims, mostly youths, and duping them of their hard-earned money.

Several instances have come to the fore where youths from Punjab and other states were tricked by unscrupulous agents into joining the Russian army. NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal recently said the government would take stern action against travel agents working illegally in the state.

Most agencies active in Ludhiana

Ludhiana
7 Horses Immigration | Abroad Expert | Abroad Kiva | Pies Immigration | Pass Pro Overseas | Horses Immigration Consultancy

Jalandhar
Aaradhya Enterprises | Karson Travel Consultancy | True Deals Immigration Services, | I Way Overseas | Videsh Yatra

Amritsar
Rahave Immigration | JS Enterprises | Power To Fly | Travel Manthan | Amaze-E-Service

Hoshiarpur
RS Enterprises | Target Immigration | PS Enterprises

Others
Gulf Jobs, Kapurthala | High Wings Overseas 7, SAS Nagar | PNS Visa Services, SAS Nagar | GCC Experts, Patiala | Gulf Travel Agency, Dirba | Binder BBSG Immigration, Dirba

Source: https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/youth-lured-with-work-visa-on-instagram-facebook-25-punjab-travel-firms-booked/