Trial Begins for Two Men in Fatal Border Smuggling Case

Harshkumar Patel and Steve Shand face charges in connection with the deaths of an Indian family at the U.S.-Canada border.

Prosecutors allege that Harshkumar Patel and Steve Shand were part of a smuggling network that facilitated illegal crossings from Canada into the U.S.
The Patel family, consisting of two parents and their young children, froze to death in January 2022 while attempting to cross the border in extreme weather conditions.
Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to four federal counts of human smuggling and are standing trial in Minnesota.
Prosecutors claim that Patel recruited Shand to transport migrants, with evidence showing communication about the harsh winter conditions during the crossings.
The trial is expected to highlight the broader issue of illegal immigration from India, with over 14,000 Indians arrested at the Canadian border in the past year.