United States Department of Justice says a 22-year-old man from India has pleaded guilty to helping smuggle Indian migrants from Canada into the United States through northern New York.
According to U.S. prosecutors, Shivam Lnu admitted to participating in a cross-border human smuggling operation that allegedly ran from October 2024 through June 2025.
Court documents state that Lnu coordinated drivers who transported migrants after they crossed into the U.S. illegally from Canada. Authorities allege migrants were taken to stash houses in northern New York and hotels in Plattsburgh, located roughly 100 kilometres south of Montreal.
The investigation intensified after a January 2025 incident in which United States Border Patrol intercepted two vehicles carrying 12 migrants. Officials say the vehicles attempted to flee from agents before being stopped.
Lnu pleaded guilty to:
- One count of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling
- Three counts of alien smuggling for financial gain
U.S. authorities say he could face a prison sentence of up to 15 years.
The case highlights ongoing concerns over illegal migration routes operating along the Canada–U.S. border, particularly through Quebec and northern New York corridors that have increasingly drawn attention from law enforcement agencies on both sides of the border.