Indian-origin man smuggled over 800 Indians into US using Uber
US, June 28: An Indian-origin man was sentenced to more than three years in prison for using the ride-hailing service Uber to smuggle Indians into the United States.
Rajinder Pal Singh, aka Jaspal Gill, pleaded guilty in February, confessing to taking in more than $5 lakh as a key member of a smuggling ring that brought hundreds of Indian nationals across the border from Canada, according to a press statement from the Department of Justice.
During a four-year period, the 49-year-old arranged for more than 800 people to be smuggled into the US.
Singh and his co-conspirators began using Uber in July 2018 to transport people who had illegally crossed the border from Canada to the Seattle area.
From mid-2018 to May 2022, Singh arranged over 600 trips involving the transportation of illegally smuggled Indian citizens into the United States.
A US district court sentenced Singh, a resident of California, 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," Gorman added.
She claimed that Singh's conduct not only posed a security risk for Washington but also put those smuggled in danger during the often weeks-long smuggling path 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 $70,000," Gorman added.
According to the press release, Singh's co-conspirators would use one-way vehicle rentals to transport individuals smuggled to their final destinations outside Washington state in trips that typically began near the border in the early hours and were split between different rides.
The smuggling ring's members also used sophisticated methods to launder the illicit proceeds. Singh admitted in the plea deal that the purpose of the complex money movement was to conceal the illicit nature of the funds.
According to the news release, investigators also discovered around $45,000 in cash and counterfeit identity documents at one of Singh's properties in California.
It further stated that Singh, who is not a lawful resident in the United States, will most likely be deported after serving his prison sentence.
Also Read | 'Wide consultation with all religions needed': AAP extends support to Uniform Civil Code
- With inputs from agencies
