October 15, 09

NEWS / 2 Suspected Smugglers Nabbed at Sea off La Jolla Coast

La Jolla, Calif. — Early this morning, in a coordinated Customs and Border Protection effort between the U.S. Border Patrol and Air and Marine, law enforcement personnel apprehended two Mexican nationals who illegally entered the country aboard a panga boat.


At 3:30 a.m., the small boat was spotted far off shore by Border Patrol agents who were patrolling the shoreline. Agents requested CBP Marine interdiction agents to investigate the boat. The agents intercepted the boat approximately eight-miles off the La Jolla coast and found two men onboard.


The CBP Marine interdiction agents determined that the men, age 29 and 44, were Mexican nationals illegally in the country. Further investigation revealed the men had earlier smuggled six people into the country and dropped them off at South Ponto Beach in Carlsbad, Calif. The men were arrested and turned over to Border Patrol agents for processing.


Later that morning Border Patrol agents apprehended two illegal aliens who admitted to be part of the group that was dropped off at South Ponto Beach. Agents are still searching for the others.


This coordinated, multi-agency effort demonstrates enhanced response capabilities to maintain a bolstered enforcement posture along the coastal border in the San Diego region.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/10132009_3.xml