Indian Citizen Indicted for Multiple Counts of Alien Smuggling and Conspiracy

PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK – Simranjit Singh, a/ka/ “Shally” Singh, age 40, a citizen of India residing in Canada, was extradited to the United States last week on an indictment charging him with alien smuggling and conspiracy to commit alien smuggling. At the request of the United States, Singh was taken into custody on June 28, 2022, in Ontario, Canada.  Singh was extradited from Canada to the United States on March 30, 2023.  

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector; and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.

A June 2022 indictment charges Singh with three counts of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling for profit and six additional counts of alien smuggling for profit, all of which allege his involvement and facilitation of the smuggling of Indian nationals from Canada into the United States, via Cornwall Island and the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation in the St. Lawrence River region, from at least March 2020 through March 2021. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Singh was arraigned on March 31, in Albany, before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart; he is detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for April 7.

If convicted on all charges, Singh faces at least 5 years and up to 15 years in prison, as well as at least 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. 

This case is being investigated by United States Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, the Ontario Provincial Police, the Canadian Border Services Agency, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Stitt is prosecuting this case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Singh.