Donkey Flight’ Fliers From Gujarat Agreed To Pay ₹ 60 Lakh To Enter US

Ahmedabad: 

More than 60 people from Gujarat on board the Nicaragua-bound plane, which was sent back from France over suspected human trafficking, had agreed to pay ₹ 60 lakh to ₹ 80 lakh to immigration agents, who promised to cross into the US illegally after reaching the Latin American country, officials said.

The Nicaragua-bound aircraft, an Airbus A340 carrying 303 passengers, including 260 Indians, was grounded in France for four days over suspected human trafficking over a week ago. It landed in Mumbai in the early hours of December 26.

According to a senior state Crime Investigation Department (CID) – Crime and Railways official, those passengers included 66 from Gujarat, who have already reached their respective native places in the state.

Superintendent of Police, CID- Crime and Railways, Sanjay Kharat, who is investigating the case, said these 66 Gujarat natives, including some minors, were mainly from Mehsana, Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar and Anand districts.

“We have already questioned 55 of them and recorded their statements. Majority of them have studied till Class 8 to 12. Each of them admitted that they had agreed to pay ₹ 60 lakh to ₹ 80 lakh to the local immigration agents to help them cross into the US illegally after reaching Nicaragua via Dubai,” he said.

The state CID has so far acquired the names and contact numbers of nearly 15 agents, who had promised to help these 55 persons enter the US illegally through the US-Mexico border.