Daijiworld Media Network- New York
New York, May 29: In a landmark verdict that underscores the perils of human trafficking, a US court has sentenced 29-year-old Indian-origin mastermind Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel to 10 years and 1 month in prison for orchestrating a fatal human-smuggling operation that led to the death of a Gujarati family of four on the US–Canada border in January 2022.
US District Judge John Tunheim, who presided over the case in Minnesota, also sentenced Patel’s accomplice, Steve Anthony Shand (50), to 6 years and 6 months in the same case. The sentencing comes nearly two and a half years after the tragic incident that shocked the international community.
The victims — Jagdish Baldevbhai Patel (39), his wife Vaishaliben (37), and their two young children, Vihangi (11) and Dharmik (3) — perished in -35°C blizzard conditions while attempting to illegally cross the snow-covered landscape from Manitoba, Canada into the United States on January 19, 2022.
The judge labelled the smugglers’ actions as “callous”, condemning their utter disregard for human life. Acting US Attorney Lisa Kirkpatrick emotionally remarked, “Every time I think about this case, I think about the family — including two beautiful children — left to die in the cold.”
The group being smuggled that night consisted of eleven individuals, most of whom hailed from Gujarat. While seven survived the treacherous crossing after being rescued by US border patrol officers, the Patel family tragically succumbed to the elements just metres from safety.
One of the survivors, Yash Patel, testified in court, stating they were dropped off on the Canadian side with vague directions to walk straight in “whiteout conditions” towards a van waiting on the US side — a van that was later intercepted with five stranded migrants nearby, one of them critically ill.
Investigations revealed that Harshkumar Patel’s network facilitated illegal crossings for individuals arriving in Canada on valid visas, charging exorbitant sums to then smuggle them across the less-secure northern US border.
The incident sparked international outrage and highlighted a rising trend in illegal crossings from the north, typically overshadowed by attention on the US–Mexico border. The tragedy even drew a reaction from former US President Donald Trump, who controversially announced a 25% tariff on Canadian imports, blaming Ottawa for “failing to check illegal border crossings.”
Following a detailed jury trial in November 2024, both Patel and Shand were convicted on multiple counts of human trafficking, conspiracy, and endangering life.