Two men, Harshkumar Patel alias Dirty Harry and Steve Shand, were convicted for human smuggling after an Indian family died while trying to cross the US-Canada border.
The family, Jagdish Patel, his wife Vaishaliben, their daughter Vihangi, and son Dharmik, died from the cold in a blizzard on January 19, 2022, in Manitoba, Canada.
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They were part of a group of 11 Indian migrants who had paid smugglers to get into the US illegally, the Donkey route.
Harsh Patel, 29, and Steve Shand, 50, were found guilty of charges related to smuggling people across the border. The charges carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
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The family’s tragic death showcases the dangers of human trafficking, with prosecutors condemning the greed of the smugglers.
The family was from Gujarat and Jagdish Patel and his wife were school teachers. They had joined the illegal migration group, hoping to reach the US.
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The trial revealed how Harsh Patel coordinated the smuggling operation while Steve Shand drove a van that was supposed to pick up the migrants in Minnesota.
Survivors testified in court, including Yash Patel, who made it to the van but saw others get lost in the blizzard. Another witness, Rajinder Singh, shared his experience of smuggling hundreds of people, mostly from Gujarat, and making large sums from the operation.
The smugglers used an informal money system called hawala to transfer funds.
