The passengers aboard a controversial chartered flight grounded in France last month were aware of the illegal route through Nicaragua and Mexico before entering the US on boats. They were prepped for any exigency, assured of legal assistance, and confident of success due to videos showcasing similar journeys, two passengers disclosed on Thursday.
The Airbus jet, operated by Dubai-Nicaragua Legend Airways, was carrying 303 Indians and was grounded in Vatry, France, on December 21. This incident exposed a racket involving private firms and touts facilitating illegal immigration to the US and Canada via stops in Europe and South American countries, known as the “donkey route.”
Passengers were informed about flying from Dubai to Nicaragua, meeting another agent there for travel to Mexico, arranging a visa on arrival, and then taking an illegal boat route to reach the US. Lawyers were already hired in case of border issues, and passengers were advised to travel light. Confidence was bolstered by videos showing successful illegal entries into the US.
A 24-year-old passenger from Gujarat revealed, “There was confidence because we had seen over 50 videos where Gujaratis had entered the US illegally before.”
Another passenger, a 25-year-old from Ahmedabad, was told by an agent that the illegal way was the only option. The operation involved arranging legal documents, a degree, and bank papers, requiring ₹85 lakh in return.
The Airbus returned with Indian passengers after French authorities questioned them for four days. Of the 303 on board, 276 returned, while the rest sought asylum in France, and two were detained over human trafficking investigations.
The statements of the passengers from Gujarat reveal the organized nature of this illegal operation. Police have identified four kingpins, emphasizing the complexity of orchestrating such a large-scale operation.
The 24-year-old passenger shared details of their journey from Mumbai to Dubai, where they were introduced to each other and briefed on the route. Everything went smoothly until they landed in France for refueling and were questioned by authorities.
Upon returning to India, passengers were questioned by Indian authorities but insisted on having valid travel visas. Agents had coached them to avoid revealing details if caught.
In total, 17 first information reports have been registered in the case. One of the agents under scrutiny refuted the charges, claiming no evidence had been found and that no complaints were filed against them.
