Hidden Underworld Unearthed During Patel And Shand Trial in Fergus Falls

person in blue sneakers standing behind a line with a Canadian flag on opposing side of the line

In the heart of Fergus Falls, Minnesota, the trial of Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel and Steve Shand unfolds, revealing the chilling ties to a global human smuggling network and its tragic aftermath.

At a Glance

An Indian migrant survivor will testify in a trial involving a human smuggling scheme linked to tragic deaths.
The accused prioritized profits over the lives of a family who froze to death.
The smuggling operation exploited a route using Canadian student visas.
Prosecutors claim the network was aware of dangerous weather but proceeded nonetheless.

Details of the Tragic Attempt

In January 2022, a family of four—Jagdish Patel, his wife Vaishaliben, and their children Vihangi and Dharmik—perished in freezing temperatures during an illegal attempt to cross the Canada-U.S. border. This tragic incident has exposed a human smuggling network allegedly orchestrated by Patel and Shand. The accused reportedly ignored the harsh weather warnings, placing financial gains above human life.

According to prosecutors, Shand collected $25,000 for assisting with five smuggling operations, knowing the risks posed by the severe weather. Survivors, including Yash Patel, expected to testify, can provide crucial insight into the precariousness of such illegal crossings.

Nearly three years after a couple from India and their two young children froze to death while trying to cross the border from Canada into the U.S., two men on Monday will face trial on human smuggling charges.https://t.co/RWKjvULoFe

— ABC 6 News – KAAL TV (@ABC6NEWS) November 18, 2024

Caught Between Borders

The immigrants endured extreme cold after being dropped miles from legal entry, a scenario described by Ryan Lipes as “dark, isolated” and perilously distant from safety. Prosecutors have presented this isolation as a deliberate tactic by human traffickers to avoid detection, but at deadly costs. Defense counsel argues that Harshkumar Patel is a victim of wrongful accusation, his lawyer firmly stating Patel’s innocence in the face of these grim allegations.

“The migrants were dropped at a dark, isolated part of the Canadian border nowhere near a legal port of entry,” according to Ryan Lipes.

The case also highlighted the use of student visas as an entry mechanism into Canada, from where individuals were transported illegally into the United States. This revelation concerns authorities who see this as a repeatable and dangerous strategy.

Jury selection begins in human smuggling case after deaths of family at Canada-US border | Click on the image to read the full story https://t.co/IdUN8ozo2K

— WGAL (@WGAL) November 19, 2024

Immigration and Legal Oversight

Patel, having faced multiple visa refusals, remained in the U.S. illegally and allegedly recruited Shand in Florida to assist in moving people across the border. This case has prompted U.S. officials to scrutinize the increasing number of Indian nationals entering the country across the northern border and highlights the necessity for ongoing strict border controls and immigration reforms.

Ryan Lipes, again: “This case is about these two men putting profit over people’s lives, profit they earned by smuggling migrants from India across the Canadian border into the U.S.”

The trial is expected to last five days as the complex nature of this smuggling operation unfolds, each revelation concerning hidden networks further accentuating the perilous journeys migrants undertake in pursuit of a better life.