Judges in France are set to make a crucial decision regarding around 300 Indian citizens who have been held at Paris-Vatry Airport since Thursday following a tip-off about a possible human trafficking scheme. The passengers, en route to Central America, appeared before judges throughout the day on Sunday, who will decide whether to extend their detention or allow them to leave the country.

The administration for the Marne region revealed that if the detainees cannot be held any longer, they will be released. However, due to legal constraints, foreigners cannot be kept in a waiting area for more than 96 hours, beyond which the decision rests with the liberty and custody judge. In exceptional circumstances, this period can be extended to 8 days with judicial approval, and subsequently another 8 days if necessary.

To address this urgent matter, four simultaneous hearings were conducted with four judges, four clerks, and multiple lawyers present, along with interpreters to facilitate communication with the Indian citizens. Francois Procureur, the head of the Châlons-en-Champagne Bar Association, emphasized that everyone involved is fully mobilized to address the situation.

Offering a glimmer of hope, the Marne prefecture announced that the seizure order for the airliner was lifted on Sunday morning, potentially allowing the passengers in the waiting area to be rerouted. The French Civil Aviation Authority is coordinating efforts to secure the necessary permissions for the plane to take off again, with plans for the process to be completed no later than Monday morning, according to the prefecture's statement. Meanwhile, the passengers remained under questioning during this time.

However, the situation took a new turn as two of the passengers were detained as part of a special investigation related to suspected human trafficking involving an organized criminal group, as per the Paris prosecutor's office. Details regarding the nature of the alleged trafficking or its ultimate destination remain undisclosed. Notably, the United States has experienced a surge in Indians crossing the Mexico-U.S. border this year.

The 15 crew members of the Legend Airlines charter flight, which originated from Fujairah airport in the United Arab Emirates and was headed to Managua, Nicaragua, were questioned and subsequently released, according to the airline's lawyer. The Romania-based airline denies any involvement in possible human trafficking and states that it has not committed any infractions.

It was revealed that a "partner" company had chartered the plane and was responsible for verifying the passengers' identification documents, sharing passport information with the airline 48 hours prior to the flight, according to Liliana Bakayoko, the lawyer representing Legend Airlines. She refrained from disclosing the identity of the customer, simply noting that it was not a European company.

Notably, Nicaragua has been designated by the U.S. government as one of the countries failing to meet minimum standards for eliminating human trafficking. The country has served as a migratory springboard for individuals fleeing poverty or conflict in the Caribbean, Africa, or Asia, benefiting from relaxed or visa-free entry requirements for certain nations. Charter flights are sometimes utilized for the onward journey, with migrants traveling north with the assistance of smugglers.

The surge in Indian migrants entering the United States via Mexico has witnessed a significant increase this year, with numbers rising from under 3,000 in 2022 to over 11,000 between January and November. According to the Mexican Immigration Agency, Indian citizens were arrested for illegally entering the United States from Mexico a staggering 41,770 times during the U.S. government's previous budget year, marking a significant rise from 18,308 arrests the year before.