Indian National Pleads Guilty for Smuggling a Dozen Illegal Aliens Across Canadian Border Into United States

An Indian national pleaded guilty today for his role in a scheme to smuggle aliens from India across the northern border with Canada into the United States.

According to court documents, Shivam LNU, 22, directed smuggling operations beginning from at least October 2024 through June 2025, coordinating the illegal transport of aliens across the U.S.-Canada border into the Northern District of New York. The defendant’s role was to coordinate drivers to pick up aliens from the border and transport them further into the United States, specifically to stash houses around Northern New York and to hotels in Plattsburgh, New York. The defendant, who expected to be paid for his role, paid his drivers for each alien they smuggled. On Jan. 25, 2025, the defendant directed a co-conspirator to smuggle 12 aliens from India and the United Kingdom from Canada into the United States. The defendant paid his co-conspirator $100 per alien smuggled. On Jan. 26, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol agents attempted to stop two vehicles traveling in tandem near the U.S-Canada border. Both vehicles accelerated to avoid agents, triggering a pursuit. One vehicle went off the road and became immobilized, while the other was later stopped in Mooers, New York. The vehicles contained a total of 12 illegal aliens.

Shivam pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling and three counts of alien smuggling for financial gain. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 4 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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