Indian-origin man in US sentenced to jail for smuggling over 800 Indian citizens using Uber app
New York, Jun 28: A 49-year-old Indian-origin man was sentenced to over three years in jail for smuggling more than 800 Indian citizens into the US using ride-hailing app Uber.
Rajinder Pal Singh, aka Jaspal Gill, pleaded guilty in February, admitting that he took in more than USD 500,000 as a key member of a smuggling ring, bringing in hundreds of Indian nationals across the border from Canada, the Department of Justice said in a press release.
Singh, a resident of California, was sentenced on Tuesday in a US District Court to "45 months in prison for Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Certain Aliens for Profit and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering," said Acting US Attorney Tessa M. Gorman.
"Over a four-year period, Mr Singh arranged for more than 800 people to be smuggled into the US across the northern border and into Washington State," said Gorman.
She asserted that Singh's conduct was not just a security risk for Washington but also subjected those smuggled to security and safety perils during the often weeks-long smuggling route from India to the US.
"Mr Singh's participation in this conspiracy preyed upon the Indian nationals' hopes for a better life in the US while saddling those smuggled with a crushing debt of as much as USD 70,000," Gorman said.
From July 2018, Singh and his co-conspirators used Uber to transport people who had illegally crossed the border from Canada to the Seattle area, the press release said, citing records filed in the case.
From mid-2018 to May 2022, Singh arranged more than 600 trips involving the transportation of Indian nationals illegally smuggled into the US.
According to investigation estimates, between July 2018, and April 2022, the 17 Uber accounts tied to the smuggling ring ran up more than USD 80,000 in charges.
Singh's co-conspirators would use the one-way vehicle rentals to transport those smuggled to their ultimate destinations outside Washington state in trips that usually began near the border in the early hours and were split between different rides, the press release said.
The members of the smuggling ring also used sophisticated means to launder the illicit proceeds. In the plea agreement, Singh admitted that the purpose of the complex money movement was to obscure the illegal nature of the funds.
Investigators also found about USD 45,000 in cash and counterfeit identity documents from one of Singh's homes in California, the press release said.
It added that Singh, who is not legally present in the US, will likely be deported following his prison term.
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Delhi Police apprehends 966 people in southeast Delhi ahead of New Year under Operation Aaghat 3.0
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has apprehended 966 people and seized arms, drugs, illegal liquor and vehicles during a large-scale preventive crackdown in southeast Delhi ahead of New Year celebrations, an official said on Saturday.
The operation, namely Operation Aaghat 3.0, was launched to curb organised crime, street offences and the activities of habitual criminals in view of heightened public movement during year-end festivities, they said.
Of the total, 331 accused were arrested under the Delhi Excise Act, NDPS Act and the Public Gambling Act, while 504 people were apprehended under various preventive provisions, the police said.
As part of targeted action, police apprehended 116 listed bad characters, arrested five auto-lifters and four proclaimed offenders, officials added.
During the operation, police recovered 21 country-made pistols, 20 live cartridges and 27 knives under the Arms Act. They also seized 12,258 quarters of illicit liquor, 6.01 kg of ganja and Rs 2.36 lakh from gamblers.
A total of 310 mobile phones, six two-wheelers and one four-wheeler were also recovered, the police said.
In addition, action was taken against 1,306 persons under the Delhi Police Act, while 231 two-wheelers were seized for violations, the officials said.
The crackdown was carried out with over 600 police personnel deployed across the district.
The police said the operation was aimed at preventing any untoward incident during New Year celebrations, particularly in residential areas and jhuggi clusters, and to deter organised crime networks and habitual offenders.
Officials said stringent legal provisions, including sections 111 and 112 of the BNS, would be invoked in suitable cases, and proposals for externment of repeat offenders were also being initiated.
The police added that intensified patrolling, vehicle checking and night surveillance had led to a reduction in PCR calls related to street crime in the district over the past month.
