Shivam, a 22-year-old Indian national, has pleaded guilty to his role in a human smuggling ring that illegally transported individuals from Canada into the United States. According to the US Department of Justice, he coordinated the smuggling operations between October 2024 and June 2025, arranging for drivers to pick up individuals who crossed the US-Canada border illegally and transport them to various locations in northern New York, including stash houses and hotels in Plattsburgh. He reportedly paid drivers $100 for each person transported. In January of the previous year, he directed a co-conspirator to smuggle 12 individuals from India and the United Kingdom into the US. During the operation, US Border Patrol agents attempted to stop two vehicles traveling together, leading to a pursuit that resulted in the discovery of the smuggled individuals. Shivam has been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling and three counts of smuggling for financial gain. He is scheduled for sentencing in September and faces a minimum sentence of five years, potentially extending up to 15 years.