London: Thousands of illegal immigrants from India are using "donkey flights" to enter the UK through the back door via other European Union countries, a media report said on Sunday.
Using the system known as "donkey flights", unskilled labourers pay travel agents huge amount to provide them with visa to facilitate them to first move into one of the Schengen zone, according to The Sunday Times daily.
On arrival in the EU - often in Germany, Belgium or France - they are met by "consultants" who help them to reach Britain.
For the migrants willing to pay as much as 16,800, pounds, the consultants provide fake documents such as a residency permit or driving licence, which can be used to obtain an EU passport.
This allows easy entry into the UK.
UK has moved to curb immigration and proposed tougher entrance criteria and limits on work as part of a shake-up of the student visa system that is likely to adversely impact Indians seeking to move to Britain.
An investigation by the London-bases newspaper claimed that numerous travel agents in Punjab are involved in the racket.
It said the popularity of reaching the UK via a Schengen country has increased following recent moves to tighten the student visa system, which has often been abused.
"Donkey flights" - a term based on a Punjabi idiom meaning to hop from place to place - are not new but have become increasingly popular among young men eager to leave behind high unemployment, and low wages, the report said.
Surinder Kumar Kalia, police chief in Jalandhar, admitting that the authorities were struggling to cope with the innovative "Donkey flights".
"Those who want to go abroad by any means will try to find an agent to fulfill their wish. There are many people working in this business," he was quoted as saying in the report. "Out of every 100 people, maybe up to 10 are caught."
According to the report, about 150 Indians are deported from Britain every month for lack of correct papers.
Damian Green, the immigration minister, and Chris Dix, the regional director of the UK Border Agency, have met senior Punjabi leaders to discuss the problem.
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