By Canadian Press

Jury deliberations begin in trial of human smuggling, frozen migrant family

Nov 22, 2024 | 11:13 AM

FERGUS FALLS — Jurors have begun deliberations in the trial of two men accused of human smuggling across the Canada-U.S. border between Manitoba and Minnesota.

They are tasked with deciding whether to convict or acquit Steve Shand and Harshkumar Patel on four charges.

The prosecution says the two men were part of a smuggling ring that saw Indian nationals brought to Canada then made to walk across the border into the U.S.

During one trip on Jan. 19, 2022, a family of four from India died walking across a remote stretch of the border in a blizzard.

The couple and their two children were found frozen to death in a field in Manitoba.

Milestone anniversaries

Parkland Ambulance turns 50

23h ago

Court proceedings

Woman involved in death of Saskatoon mother, handed 18 year prison sentence

Nov 21, 2024

Brunch n' Lunch

Eggsmart: The new take on breakfast

Nov 21, 2024

Shand’s lawyer has said Shand simply picked up people and transported them within the U.S. and was unaware he was doing anything illegal.

Patel’s lawyer argues the prosecution has misidentified Patel and he is not the same man whose text messages about organizing border crossings were caught by law enforcement.

Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press