Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], June 15 (ANI): In a significant joint operation by a team from the Protectorate of Emigrants (PoE), Chandigarh, and the Chandigarh Police, the authorities raided the premises of an unregistered immigration agent, M/S The Setup Overseas, located in Sector 34-A, Chandigarh. The firm was found to be offering overseas jobs without a valid license.

According to a press release, police registered a case and seized numerous incriminating documents, including two laptops, 17 mobile phones, fake overseas job offer letters, and other evidence on Saturday.

The unregistered firm had been using social media platforms to lure unsuspecting youth with false promises of high-paying overseas jobs in hotels and construction companies in countries such as Georgia, Jordan, Azerbaijan, and Dubai. Further investigations, including financial trails, are currently underway to identify and arrest the owners and others involved.

As per the press release, the Protectorate of Emigrants, Chandigarh, responsible for emigration oversight in northern States and Union Territories, including Chandigarh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and parts of Haryana, has been actively coordinating with State and UT police forces through designated nodal officers. This collaboration includes sharing information on unregistered agents and sensitising law enforcement personnel to identify emigration-related violations and curb this menace.

Over the past year, the Protectorate has shared a total of 52 complaints and inputs related to illegal overseas employment with the Nodal Officer of Chandigarh Police. These efforts have led to the registration of 13 FIRs against illegal agents by the Chandigarh Police. Additionally, 32 notices have been issued under the Emigration Act, 1983, to unregistered agents based in Chandigarh for advertising overseas jobs, employment visas, and work permits without proper authorisation, said the press release.

To further enhance the capacity of enforcement agencies, the PoE, Chandigarh, recently conducted an information session for Chandigarh Police officers in collaboration with the Police Training Centre, Sector 26. The session covered key areas such as emigration regulations, the utility of the eMigrate portal, and detection of cybercrimes related to illegal overseas recruitment.

According to the press release, PoE, Chandigarh, urged citizens--particularly the youth--not to fall prey to misleading social media advertisements by illegal and unregistered agents offering high-paying overseas job offers. Such agents frequently target destinations including Azerbaijan, Jordan, Luxembourg, Georgia, Cambodia, and Thailand.

Aspiring overseas job seekers are strongly advised to verify the credentials of recruiting agents through the official eMigrate portal of the Ministry of External Affairs: www.emigrate.gov.in. Citizens can also use the portal to report unregistered agents who offer overseas employment, work permits, or visas. The eMigrate portal provides fraud alerts and advisories issued by Indian Missions abroad to help citizens make informed decisions.

The Protectorate reiterated that no agent or agency is permitted to recruit Indian citizens for overseas employment or advertise such opportunities through any print or electronic media without a valid license from the Ministry of External Affairs. Any such activity without proper authorisation constitutes a punishable offence under the Emigration Act, 1983.

To raise awareness among aspiring emigrants, especially the youth, a digital awareness campaign is currently being run on the official social media handles of the PoE Chandigarh (Twitter: @PoEChandigarh, Instagram: @poechandigarh). These platforms share critical information on safe and legal overseas employment, tips to verify recruiting agents, and guidance to avoid falling victim to fraudulent recruitment practices. (ANI)