Nicaragua flight: Gujarat Police book 14 agents from Gujarat, Mumbai and Delhi for human trafficking

Gujarat Police filed a First Information Report (FIR) against 14 immigration agents for reportedly being involved in human trafficking.

Days after the statements of passengers in the infamous Nicaragua-bound flight were recorded, the Gujarat Police filed a First Information Report (FIR) against 14 immigration agents for reportedly being involved in human trafficking. The agents — spread across Gujarat, Mumbai and New Delhi — allegedly lured people from Gujarat and Punjab and were set to get them into the U.S. illegally. The plan had been to fly them to Nicaragua and then Mexico, from where they would cross the border to enter the U.S.

The FIR was lodged after interrogating over 60 passengers who returned after the flight landed in Mumbai last month. The Police have discovered an international network of agents engaged in this operation, offering illegal immigration through the U.S.-Mexico border and the help of attorneys in the U.S. thereon. The agents would also help them find jobs in businesses run by Indians.

The interrogation with passengers revealed that the agents had obtained for them visitor visas — for 30 to 90 days — for Dubai, from where they were to be flown to Nicaragua in a chartered plane, a release issued by the CID (Crime) Branch stated.

“It’s an international racket involving agents in Gujarat, other parts of India and outside India who are involved in facilitating such large-scale organised smuggling of people from India to USA,” said Additional DG, CID (Crime), S. Pandia Rajkumar.

He added that the Police are still in the preliminary stage of the investigation and more details about the role of other agents will emerge as the case progresses.

“We are gathering or collecting details from various agencies from across the country, it’s not an isolated incident. There are people based in Dubai and even in USA helping in facilitating this illegal migration from India,” he told The Hindu.

The investigation revealed that the agents had charged the passengers anywhere from ₹60-80 lakh and a part of the money was paid in advance; the rest would have been settled in instalments once they had reached the destination.