A 27-year-old Indian national has been sentenced to five months in a U.S. prison after helping smuggle eight Indian citizens across the British Columbia–Washington border in late 2023. Identified as Rajat Rajat, the man played a central role in what American prosecutors have described as a “transnational, organized” smuggling scheme.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Seattle, Rajat was involved in two separate incidents near the Peace Arch border crossing. In the first incident on November 27, 2023, surveillance footage captured five individuals scaling a fence near the Boundary Village Apartments in Blaine, Washington. The group was then seen entering a white minivan located about 400 meters from the crossing. Border officials stopped the vehicle, arresting the five Indian nationals along with the driver, a 68-year-old man from California.
Three of the detained individuals later told authorities that Rajat had directed them on how to cross illegally and had arranged for their transportation. Investigators say Rajat collected payments from the migrants and paid the minivan driver as part of the operation.
The second incident occurred a month later, when Rajat reportedly met three more Indian nationals in Peace Arch Park and guided them across the border into a waiting vehicle. When the car was intercepted by U.S. border agents, the passengers allegedly confirmed they intended to pay Rajat for his smuggling services after entering the U.S.
Rajat, who had been living in California before his arrest, was charged with conspiracy to bring in and transport non-citizens for profit. Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller stated that Rajat was more than a minor player in the operation, describing him as a “mid-level manager” who coordinated crossings, financed travel for migrants and accomplices, and played a crucial role in the broader network.
U.S. District Judge Tana Lin sentenced Rajat to five months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Officials also indicated he is likely to be deported once his sentence is served.
Others involved in the operation have also faced sentencing. Sushil Kumar, another Indian national, received a six-month sentence in March. The minivan driver, Bobby Joe Green, was sentenced to four months in prison. A fourth suspect, a 20-year-old Indian woman in the U.S. on a student visa, is expected to face trial early next year for her alleged role in the smuggling ring.