New Delhi: Interrogation of 66 passengers has revealed how they used to travel to US “illegally” by paying Rs 60-70 lakh to their agents, a CID crime official told news agency ANI. While speaking on the aircraft that was grounded in France over suspected human trafficking, the official said that they received a list of 66 passengers from the Foreigners Regional Registration Officers (FRRO) department, Mumbai.
The CID official said the passengers were interrogated and it was found that they would go to Mexico via Dubai and enter America “illegally” by paying Rs 60-70 lakh to their agents.
“We got list of 66 passengers from FRRO ( Foreigners Regional Registration Officers) Mumbai immigration. We investigated the people who were on that list...total 66 persons were interrogated and their statements were taken. These people used to go to Dubai...they used to go to Mexico by road and used to enter American border from there...the agents used to take Rs 60-70 lakhs from the people who used to go to America, we have received 10-12 names,” CID Crime Deputy SP Ashwin Patel told ANI.
Earlier last month, a charter flight carrying 276 passengers, primarily Indians, was grounded in France for four days over suspected human trafficking concerns. It later arrived in Mumbai.
The charter plane with 303 passengers from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates was grounded at Vatry airport near Paris due to suspected human trafficking.
According to French authorities, 25 passengers, including two minors, expressed a desire to apply for asylum and stayed back in France. Two others, who were presented before a judge, were released and put under assisted witness status, as per reports. The flight came back to Mumbai with the rest of the passengers.