Shivam Lnu, Smuggling, New York 2026

Grimy Times has learned that a federal grand jury in the Northern District of New York has returned an indictment against Shivam Lnu, 22, an Indian national, for his role in a scheme to smuggle Indian nationals from Canada across the northern border into the United States.

According to court documents, Shivam Lnu directed smuggling operations from January 2025 through June 2025, coordinating the illegal transport of aliens across the U.S.-Canada border into Clinton County, New York.

On January 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 undocumented aliens.

WhatsApp messages between one of the drivers and a number connected to Shivam allegedly revealed coordination of smuggling illegal aliens into the U.S. from Canada on numerous occasions in and prior to January 2025, including exchanging proof of life photographs and directions to safe houses in upstate New York.

Shivam Lnu is charged with one count of conspiracy to illegally bring aliens to the United States and four counts of illegally bringing aliens to the United States for the purpose of private financial gain. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count. If convicted of all four counts of illegally bringing aliens to the United States, Shivam Lnu faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of fifteen years.

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III for the Northern District of New York and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.

The investigation and charges are supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security.

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