French Authorities Investigate a 300 Indian Citizens Sequestered at Airport
PARIS – Judges in France are expected to decide this weekend whether about 300 Indian citizens who are suspected of being victims of human trafficking should continue to be sequestered in a small airport in Champagne country.
The passengers have been held at Paris-Vatry Airport since Thursday following a dramatic police operation prompted by a tip about a possible human trafficking scheme, authorities said.
According to a statement from the Marne prefecture, the seizure order for the airliner was lifted Sunday morning, a decision that “makes it possible to contemplate the passengers in the waiting area being rerouted.”
The situation is urgent as foreigners cannot be kept in a waiting area for more than 96 hours. Beyond that, it is the liberty and custody judge who must rule on their fate.
The passengers include children and families. The youngest is a toddler of 21 months, and among the children are several unaccompanied minors, according to the local civil protection agency.
The French Civil Aviation Authority is working to obtain necessary permissions for the plane to take off again, which should be in place “no later than Monday morning,” according to the prefecture.
French officials have disclosed that two of the passengers were detained as part of a special investigation into suspected human trafficking by an organized criminal group. The ultimate destination and nature of the trafficking are unknown, but the US, which has seen a surge in Indians crossing the Mexico-US border this year, is speculated to be involved.
The 15 crew members of the flight were questioned and released, and the Romania-based airline has denied any involvement in human trafficking.
Nicaragua, the destination for this plane, has been designated by the US government as one of several countries that fail to meet minimum standards for eliminating human trafficking. The country’s guidelines have also made it a migratory springboard for those fleeing poverty or conflict in the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia.
The influx of Indian migrants through Mexico into the U.S. has increased to more than 11,000 this year from fewer than 3,000 in 2022, the Mexican Immigration Agency reports.
The passengers will appear before judges who will decide whether to extend their detention at the airport. Their fate remains uncertain as this investigation continues to unfold.