Dunki flight: Indian passengers paid Rs.80 lakh to enter US
The Gujarat State Crime Investigation Department (CID) has revealed that 66 passengers on a plane bound for Nicaragua agreed to pay between Rs. 60 lakh to Rs. 80 lakh each to illegally enter the United States (US). These people—hailing from Gujarat—were among the 303 passengers on a chartered plane that was grounded in France's Chalons-Vatry airport and subsequently returned to India last month. The probe agency has identified 15 agents involved in the "Dunki flight" till now.
Why does this story matter?
Romania-based Legend Airlines's charter plane from Dubai to Nicaragua with 303 passengers made headlines after French authorities grounded it on December 21. The action came in response to a tipoff that some passengers on board were "victims of human trafficking." The flight was allowed to leave the Chalons-Vatry airport following a brief trial of the passengers at the airport. The plane landed in Mumbai five days later with only 276 passengers on board. The rest sought asylum in France.
Plane grounded in France on human trafficking suspicions
The passengers boarded Legend Airlines' A340 flight in Dubai. The plane made a stop in Vatry, France, for refueling, where it was grounded for four days due to suspicions of human trafficking. After being interrogated by French authorities, the plane landed in Mumbai on December 26 with only 276 passengers. The remaining passengers applied for asylum and were transferred to a special zone at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport for asylum-seekers.
Gujarat CID seeks details from CBI and Dubai authorities
The Gujarat CID has reached out to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and requested details from Dubai authorities about the agency that chartered the flight. It has also sought the financial transactions involved in obtaining visas from the Emirate authorities. All passengers had legal tourist visas for entering Dubai but gathered at the same location before departing for Nicaragua. Authorities said that all passengers had paid an advance of up to Rs. 8 lakh—including the ticket fees—to the agents.
Agents waited for passengers inside US
Per Indian Express, the agents handed over Forex in the form of US dollars to all passengers to cover their expenses until they crossed the American border. CID stated, "It has been established that the passengers also paid for the flight tickets from Ahmedabad to Dubai to Nicaragua and also received foreign exchange of $1,000 to 3,000 to cover their expenses to reach the US." Allegedly, there were agents waiting for the illegal immigrants inside the American border.
