A Romanian charter company Legend Airlines plane carrying 303 Indian passengers from the United Arab Emirates to Nicaragua has been detained on the ground in France since Thursday on suspicion of “human trafficking”, French authorities announced on Friday and prosecutors in Paris, which opened an investigation, AFP reports, the report said Agerpres.

This stop on the ground happened after an “anonymous report” according to which the plane was “carrying Indian passengers (…) who were probably victims of human trafficking”, the Paris prosecutor’s office told AFP.

An investigation is ongoing to determine whether there is evidence to support the suspicion of human trafficking within an organized gang, a crime punishable by 20 years in prison and a fine of three million euros. Hearings and inspections are conducted regarding the conditions and directions of passenger transportation.

According to a source close to the matter, who said the plane made a stopover in France for refueling, the Indian passengers may have wanted to go to Central America to try to enter the United States or Canada illegally.

The Marne prefecture (north-eastern France) said the flight, operated by the Romanian company Legend Airlines, was “stuck on the runway of Vatry airport after landing (Thursday) afternoon” and the intervention of air transport police on board.

The prefecture confirmed to AFP that the plane was still on the ground on Friday afternoon.