Trial Begins for Men Accused in Deadly Border Smuggling Case
FERGUS FALLS, Minnesota, Nov 18– A trial has started in Minnesota for two men accused of smuggling migrants from India into the United States. The case stems from the tragic deaths of an Indian family who froze to death while trying to cross the Canada-US border in January 2022.
The family, including Jagdish Patel, 39, his wife Vaishaliben, and their two children, died in a snowstorm with temperatures as low as minus 36°F (minus 38°C). They were found by Canadian authorities in a field, with Jagdish holding his 3-year-old son, Dharmik, who was wrapped in a blanket.
Harshkumar Patel, 29, and Steve Shand, 50, are accused of running a smuggling operation that brought migrants from India into the U.S. through Canada. Prosecutors say Patel paid Shand to help smuggle the family and others across the border, even though they knew about the dangerous conditions.
Patel, who was in the U.S. illegally, allegedly communicated with Shand about the cold weather and warned him to dress the migrants warmly. Shand was paid around $25,000 for his role.
The case highlights the deadly risks faced by migrants trying to enter the U.S. and the criminal networks that exploit them.
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