FERGUS FALLS, Minn. — A criminal organization that spans from India to Canada has been accused of profiting from smuggling families seeking a better future in the United States. This case has come to light during a trial set to begin in Minnesota, where federal prosecutors are highlighting the tragic story of a man who perished while holding his young son amidst harsh wintry conditions two years prior.
Authorities have charged Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, a 29-year-old Indian national, with orchestrating the smuggling operations along with Steve Shand, 50, from Florida. The two men allegedly waited in a truck for a group of migrants that included a family who tragically died after attempting to make their way across the border into the U.S.
Prosecutors allege that Patel recruited Shand at a casino not far from their homes in Deltona, Florida. The victims, Jagdish Patel, 39, and his wife Vaishaliben, who was in her mid-30s, along with their two children—11-year-old Vihangi and 3-year-old Dharmik—were not related to Harshkumar Patel, who maintains his innocence along with Shand. The family hailed from Dingucha, a village in Gujarat, India. Tragically, their remains were discovered by Canadian authorities on January 19, 2022, after enduring several hours in blizzard-like conditions with temperatures plunging to minus 36°F (-38°C). Jagdish Patel was found clutching his son, who was wrapped in a blanket for warmth.
The prosecution claims that the smuggling operation involved scouting for potential clients in India, securing Canadian student visas for them, arranging transportation, and facilitating their illegal entry into the U.S., primarily through routes in Washington state or Minnesota. Recent statistics from the U.S. Border Patrol indicate that over 14,000 Indian migrants were arrested at the Canadian border within the year ending September 30. The Pew Research Center reported that by 2022, more than 725,000 Indians were living unlawfully in the U.S., trailing only Mexican and Salvadoran populations.
Patel’s lawyer stated that his client sought refuge in the U.S. to escape poverty and create a better future. The lawyer asserts that Patel is unfairly accused of involvement in a horrifying crime and expresses confidence in the legal system to reveal the truth.
Legal documents reveal that Patel was in the U.S. without authorization after having been denied a visa on five separate occasions. During a five-week span, he and Shand reportedly exchanged messages about the brutal cold while smuggling groups of Indian migrants across a relatively quiet border area. One evening in December 2021, Shand communicated to Patel that it was “cold as hell” while he awaited a group pick-up. Another message in January emphasized the importance of dressing appropriately for the extreme weather conditions.
According to investigators, Shand claimed Patel compensated him approximately $25,000 for the five smuggling excursions. Jagdish Patel grew up in Dingucha, where he and his family lived with his parents, both of whom were educators, as per local reports.
Satveer Chaudhary, an immigration attorney based in Minneapolis, remarked on the plight of migrants taken advantage of by opportunistic smugglers. He highlighted that many people are misled by the false promises of prosperity in America, resulting in devastating risks to their dignity and, as these circumstances reveal, their lives.