Indian-origin Brampton Man Allegedly Smuggled over 1,000 People into US, Charged up to $35,000

A Brampton man allegedly smuggle over 1,000 people into the US and new documents reveal how details of the operation and the costs associated with it. Simranjit “Shally” Singh has been living in Canada illegally and has been able to elude law enforcement detection, according to the US Attorney’s Office.

An Indian citizen named Simranjit “Shally” Singh has been accused of moving people over the border from Cornwall Island through Akwesasne Mohawk territory, which touches New York, Ontario, and Quebec, and straddles the St. Lawrence River. He is said to be living in Brampton, Ontario, illegally and has been able to elude law enforcement detection. According to US authorities, Singh even boasted to one of his clients that he has successfully smuggled over 1,000 people.

The US Attorney’s Office filed a request for provision arrest in a Brampton court which said, “Singh has successfully moved illegal aliens northbound into Canada and southbound into the United States using the geographic vulnerabilities of the AMIR [Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation]. Singh has been living in Canada illegally and has been able to elude law enforcement detection.”

US officials also shared information on how the operation was conducted and the prices that would be charged. Singh charged anywhere between $5,000 and $35,000, the documents suggest. One of the smuggling incidents from March 2020 was highlighted as US officials shared the messages exchanged between a person referred to as “CW-1” and Singh.

“I’m dropping them off at a safe space,” CW-1 said in a text. Singh replied, “Ok they cross river,” to which CW-1 said, “Yes.” Officials also shared a video showing CW-1’s car pulling up to Great View Motel in New York and dropping off three Indians. Next, as per the request, “CW-1 travelled to Cornwall to meet Singh, bring him bottles of liquor, and collect $4,000 which represented CW-1’s pay.”

Border Patrol Agents saw CW-1 leaving the hotel and after a high-speed chase, arrested all four in Fort Covington, New York.

Singh was indicted in 2022 and last week, he was extradited to the US. He is currently fighting charges related to human smuggling in a federal US court and has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison.

Vineet Washington