Suspected Human Traffickers Being Pursued by Indian Police.

  

   Authorities in Punjab and Gujarat are currently engaged in a search for the masterminds behind a human smuggling operation that was exposed when French officials intercepted a plane carrying passengers en route to Nicaragua. 

   The Airbus A340 was detained at Vatry airport in Paris, where it had made a stop for refueling. The aircraft had originated from the United Arab Emirates and was apprehended based on an anonymous tip-off suggesting that it was transporting potential victims of human trafficking. The majority of the 303 individuals on board were subsequently repatriated to India on Monday. 

  According to Sanjay Kharat, the superintendent of police in Gujarat state, passengers had paid agents between four million and 12.5 million rupees ($48,000-150,000) to assist them in reaching the southern border of the United States from South America.

  Kharat expressed the need to ascertain how these individuals had come into contact with the agents, or whether the agents had approached them, as well as their intended plans upon reaching Nicaragua. Out of the 276 passengers who returned to India, 66 were from Gujarat state, and they are currently being interrogated by the police.

 Kharat also stated that individuals who may possess information regarding the illegal operation have been identified and are undergoing questioning.

   Meanwhile, authorities in Punjab state, where the majority of the flight's passengers originated from, are also conducting their own investigation. L.K. Yadav, a senior police official in Punjab, emphasized their duty to investigate any reported illegal activities and confirmed that they are examining the matter.

  Another Punjab police official, speaking anonymously, revealed that efforts are being made to comprehend the extent of the operation and its connections to local immigration agents. The flight was operated by Legend Airlines, a Romanian charter company, and the passengers were accommodated at Vatry airport during the investigation. Two individuals who were questioned by French authorities regarding suspected human trafficking remain in France.

  According to data from US Customs and Border Protection, nearly 100,000 Indian migrants have made illegal attempts to enter the United States this year. French authorities are currently conducting an investigation into a possible breach of immigration laws, although they have ruled out any involvement in people trafficking, as stated by judicial sources.