An Air and Marine Operations crew located a boat off the coast of California and helped disrupt a human smuggling operation. They teamed up with Border Patrol agents and local law enforcement to seize the boat and arrest the smuggler with his human cargo.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) crew intercepted a suspicious boat of the coast of San Diego, California, on December 19. The sighting followed a tip from the Joint Harbor Operations Center, according to information obtained from San Diego Sector CBP officials.
The AMO agents boarded the Bayliner pleasure craft and took control of the vessel. Agents navigated the boat back to port where they contacted U.S. Border Patrol agents to assist, officials stated.
San Diego Sector Border Patrol agents met the AMO crew at the dock and conducted an immigration interview with the nine passengers loaded onto the 24-foot boat. Agents determined all nine passengers, including the captain/human smuggler, to be Mexican nationals who were illegally present in the U.S.
The eight men and one woman ranged in age from 20 to 65 officials reported. Agents placed all nine people under arrest and transported them to the Border Patrol station for processing, a medical evaluation, and a biometric background investigation.
AMO officials reportedly seized the Bayliner.
The agents turned the boat’s captain over to ICE officials who will prepare charges for alien smuggling, according to information provided by CBP officials.
Since the beginning of the current fiscal year, which began on October 1, AMO agents have been involved in the apprehension of 4,153 migrants while working with CBP and DHS law enforcement officials.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Face
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.