Two men, including Indian national Harshkumar Patel, were sentenced in Minnesota for a smuggling case that led to four Indian migrants’ deaths during a 2022 blizzard. Patel got 10 years and deportation; Steve Shand received 6.5 years. They used fake student visas to move people from India to Canada and across the U.S. border, charging up to $100,000 per person.

Despite severe weather warnings, the smugglers proceeded, resulting in the tragic deaths. Both were convicted in 2024 for conspiracy and causing death through illegal transport. U.S. authorities called it a tragic example of the dangers of human smuggling.