India has finally begun to crack down on immigration agents who send unsuspecting foreign bound citizens to their death. Two black market immigration agents in India have been arrested for allegedly arranging the fateful journey to Canada of a family of four who froze to death trying to walk across the border into the United States, and two more agents are named as suspects in North America, one on each side of the border, according to Indian media.

NEW DELHI – India has finally begun to crack down on immigration agents who send unsuspecting foreign bound citizens to their death.

Two black market immigration agents in India have been arrested for allegedly arranging the fateful journey to Canada of a family of four who froze to death trying to walk across the border into the United States, and two more agents are named as suspects in North America, one on each side of the border, according to Indian media, reported Postmedia.

Authorities in India said the family that died was reluctant to cross at night during a blizzard but were urged it was the perfect time to move undetected.

 “The agents told them that stormy, cold weather conditions were ideal cover to cross into the U.S. undetected. They said it was their best opportunity and last chance to cross into the U.S. or else return to India or stay back in Canada,” a police official is quoted saying.

Officials revealed the last instructions given the migrants before their perilous journey: “You have to walk in -35 degrees Celsius to evade arrest by Canadian or U.S. security agencies. Follow the lights of an American gas station because you will find no navigation available in the dark and extreme weather.”

The information is allegedly from two human smugglers arrested Saturday and charged with culpable homicide, according to media reports in India. The information, reported widely, including in the Times of India, could not be independently confirmed.

The Patel family, who died trying to walk into the U.S. from Canada.

Inside the smuggling ring that left a family to freeze to death on a perilous walk across Canada’s border

A sign post for the small border town of Emerson, near the Canada-U.S border crossing, where a family of four were found frozen to death.

They walked for hours in the frozen prairie darkness, and four didn’t make it

Authorities said four suspects formed an illegal immigration network that recruited Indians citizens willing to pay to get into the United States.

A year ago this week the bodies of the family, including two children, were found frozen in the snow. They got separated from a group of 11 migrants walking south near Emerson, Man., during a blizzard.

The conditions were frightful. The temperature hovered around -35 C and blowing snow and darkness on a remote route made for a slow, treacherous hike.

Seven made it to safety, picked up by U.S. Border Patrol officers the next day after more than 11 hours of walking, but one family didn’t even make it out of Canada.

The cause of death for Jagdish Patel, 39, his wife Vaishaliben Patel, 37, their 11-year-old daughter, Vihangi, and their three-year-old son, Dharmik, from the state of Gujarat in western India, was due to exposure to extreme cold.

The four suspects are accused of working together to get the 11 migrants from Gujarat to Canada and across the U.S. border.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Chaitanya Mandlik is quoted describing the allegations. He did not respond to questions from National Post prior to deadline.

 “The victims were taken to Toronto in Canada and later to Vancouver. The agents then dumped them at Winnipeg in Manitoba province leaving them to cross over to the U.S. on their own,” Mandlik is quoted saying.

The migrants were “forced” to “walk in the snow” to cross the border, Mandlik told reporters.

“There are deputy agents, main agents in India. The crossing agents in Canada and the U.S. help with legal and other assistance. The two wanted accused are agents from Canada and the U.S.”

The two wanted suspects, one in Canada and one in the United States, were the “crossing agents.” The agents were to be paid about $10,000 per person, according to the reports. Indian police are also investigating the possible use of false documents and passports used by the migrants, most of whom were in their late teens and early 20s.

The RCMP did not address the new information, neither confirming nor denying it.

“The RCMP continues to work with international law enforcement partners to advance the investigation into the deaths of the Patel family near Emerson, Manitoba,” RCMP Cpl. Julie Courchaine said when asked about the details of the Indian reports.

The role of organized smugglers was already known.

Most of the group had been issued identical cold weather clothing: new winter coats with fur-trimmed hoods, gloves, ski masks and insulated rubber boots, all of it black.

Documents filed in a U.S. court in the case against the alleged driver trying to collect the migrants in Minnesota — Steve Shand, 47, of Deltona, Fla. — say that U.S. authorities were investigating a human smuggling ring.

Alleged human smuggler Steve Shand, 47, of Florida, was found by police ‘driving through blowing snow and snow drifts’ on the American side of the border.

It was delayed by COVID restrictions on him travelling from Florida, where he was released on bail, and by Hurricane Ian, court was told.

“I need additional time to review and consult with my attorney regarding discovery and conduct further case investigation. My family and I are continuing to recover from Hurricane Ian, such that I have not had the chance to travel to Minnesota to meet with my attorneys about my case,” Shand said in a recent court filing, reported Postmedia.

He was given until next month for his next court appearance.

Courtesy Postmedia