Tragedy on the Border: Sentencing in Human Smuggling Case

In a tragic case of human smuggling, two men are set to face sentencing in Minnesota, more than three years after a family of four from India perished attempting to enter the US during a blizzard at the Canadian border.

Federal prosecutors are urging sentences of nearly 20 years for Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, and almost 11 years for his accomplice, Steve Anthony Shand. These men were part of a conspiracy that smuggled families from India across the US border under perilous conditions.

The sentencing comes amidst harrowing details of the victims' deaths, who succumbed to extreme cold, with prosecutors accusing the men of lacking remorse and putting profit over human lives. The case underscores the dangerous and often lethal stakes of illegal border crossings.

(With inputs from agencies.)