A group of Indian nationals trafficked into Ireland was deported yesterday after spending almost two weeks in a Mountjoy unit where one died from heart failure.
The 15 Indians were part of a 60-strong group granted visas as a visiting film company. The visas were revoked when a British intelligence unit informed the Department of Justice they had been trafficked by criminals.
The group, none of whom applied for political asylum while in custody, left Dublin Airport for India via Amsterdam at 6.50 a.m. yesterday.
Most of the original group were prevented from boarding a plane for Ireland in Paris on October 19th. However, 24 people, including four women, later arrived in Dublin and were transferred to Mountjoy.
The Garda discovered that others in the group who had entered the State had left immediately for Britain. "We believe the rest of the group also intended to travel to Britain," said a Garda source.
The group was due to be deported on October 25th but English authorities refused to allow it travel through its jurisdiction. The following day, eight people were flown home from Dublin via Frankfurt.
The remainder had been preparing to return to India last Saturday via Paris when the 30-yearold man died. He was taken to the Mater Hospital but was pronounced dead two hours later. The Indian embassy is arranging the return of his remains.
The group was given the option of postponing its departure after the death but chose to leave. "None of them knew each other before they met in New Delhi airport and they seemed anxious to leave," said the Garda source.
However, the group was turned back in Paris and flown back to Dublin to wait for yesterday's departure.