US Sanctions Unveil Bhardwaj Human Smuggling Empire

A complex human smuggling operation led by Indian national Vikrant Bhardwaj and his transnational criminal organization has been disrupted by US federal authorities. Sanctions were levied on Bhardwaj, his wife, and more than a dozen companies linked to the illicit trade.

The Bhardwaj Human Smuggling Organisation (HSO), based in Cancun, Mexico, has been implicated in illegal immigration from numerous continents into the United States, often using air and sea transport, its own yachts, and marinas. Additionally, the organization has engaged in drug trafficking, bribery, and money laundering activities.

The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned the organization, which allegedly collaborated with individuals from the Sinaloa Cartel and the Hernandez Salas TCO, to smuggle undocumented migrants into the US. The action blocks any US-located assets tied to this network and reinforces the US government's stance against transnational crimes.