The Gujarat Police has Filed a complaint in the illegal immigration scam. The racket came to fore when a chartered plane, carrying 303 passengers including 267 from India and 66 Gujaratis, was grounded at Vatry Airport in France. The immigrants were destined for Nicaragua, with plans to continue their journey to Mexico and illegally cross the US border. Among those booked by CID crime Gujarat are 14 individuals from Gujarat, Punjab, Delhi, and Dubai.
The booked individuals include Jaggi Paji, Kiran Patel, Raju Mumbai, Chandresh Patel, Joginder Singh Mansingh from Delhi, Salim Dubai, Sam Paji, Bhargav Darji, Sandeep Patel, Jayesh Patel, Piyush Barot, Arpit alias Michel Zala, and Raja Mumbai. Authorities are also searching for a woman and her accomplice who were booked by Gandhinagar police for cheating a city man of Rs 25 lakh in a Canada immigration scam.
Sringent sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) 370, prescribing up to 14 years imprisonment and fines, have been invoked. “Our collaboration with Dubai authorities through the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is crucial, considering the flight originated from Dubai. We managed to repatriate the 267 Indians, and are extensively questioning the 66 Gujaratis involved.
These agents not only facilitated illegal US entry through forged documents but also exploited individuals for cheap labour in Gujarati-owned motels and doughnut shops in the US. “Victims were coerced into repaying the smugglers within three years.