Key takeaways:
- 300 Indian citizens have been sequestered in a French airport for 3 days following a police operation prompted by a tip of human trafficking.
- The youngest passenger is 21 months old, and there are 13 unaccompanied minors among the passengers.
- The airport has been transformed into a makeshift shelter, and other flights have been canceled or rerouted due to the operation.
VATRY, France (AP) – Around 300 Indian citizens were sequestered in a French airport for a third day on Saturday, following a dramatic police operation prompted by a tip that those aboard might be victims of human trafficking.
The local civil protection agency reported that the youngest passenger is a 21-month-old toddler, and that there are 13 unaccompanied minors among the passengers. To ensure privacy, local authorities hung white tarps across the bay windows of the small Vatry Airport in Champagne country.
Two of the passengers have been detained as part of a special investigation into suspected human trafficking by an organized criminal group, according the Paris prosecutor’s office. The passengers included children and families.
The airport was transformed into a makeshift shelter, with cots, blankets, and food provided by the local government. Other flights were canceled or rerouted due to the operation.
The investigation is ongoing, and the passengers are expected to remain in the airport until the investigation is complete. It is unclear when they will be allowed to continue their journey.
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