Human Trafficking: Hunt On In Gujarat For Agents Who Organised The Trip From Dubai To Nicaragua
The Gujarat Police have launched an investigation into the human trafficking network that may have facilitated a chartered flight that took off from Dubai and was on its way to Nicaragua, carrying 303 Indian nationals.
Out of the 276 people who were sent back to India from France, after the flight was intercepted and grounded at the Vatry airport near Paris, many are from Banaskantha, Patan, Mehsana and Anand districts in Gujarat.
Who arranged the travel
The Gujarat Police CID has formed teams to identify the agents of the illegal immigration network.
"The CID crime wants to take action against agents who had promised help to the victims to enter the US and other countries (illegally). We have formed four teams which will get information from the victims regarding promises made to them by these agents," Superintendent of Police, CID (Crime), Sanjay Kharat said.
"Police will coordinate with the passengers when they reach Gujarat from Mumbai to find out the agents and agencies involved and whether documents provided to them to migrate to the US and other countries were forged," he said.
Not about small agents
The official said they will also try to find out how many people have been flown abroad this way, and who all are seeking to travel in this manner.
The CID has so far received "raw information" regarding the agents involved in the incident and will be able to find out more only after questioning the passengers concerned, he said.
Kharat said different agents involved in illegal immigration work in tandem.
"The agents working at the village and district levels are small players controlled by a kingpin who works at the international level," he added.
The Gujarat police will investigate and get a clear picture of how they operate, he said.
How the 303 Indians landed in UAE
"Different agencies use different modus operandi based on the requirements of persons seeking to migrate like whether they require forged documents etc, and rates are fixed accordingly," the SP said, adding the victims will be questioned and police will reach the kingpin.
It is believed that the 303 Indians, mostly from Punjab, Gujarat and other states had travelled to the UAE in the past couple of months on work and tourist visas.
They then boarded the chartered flight operated by Romania-based Legend Airlines and were to head to Nicaragua as 'tourists'.
Airline yet to reveal client's name?
But the Airbus A340 was grounded in Vatry airport during a technical stopover after French authorities received an anonymous tip-off that the passengers on board were victims of human trafficking.
Legend Airlines has so far been tight-lipped about the identity of the client that booked its flight, despite repeated assurance that they are cooperating with the probe.
Over the years, Punjab and Gujarat have emerged as the hub of international human trafficking from India, where travel agents charge a hefty amount to customers with a promise to take them to the US, Canada or the UK illegally.
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