Coast Guard Busts Human Smugglers Near San Diego—14 Mexican Nationals Intercepted!
The U.S. Coast Guard in California intercepted a smuggling boat, capturing 14 Mexican nationals in a dramatic maritime takedown. 🌐 #News #SanDiegoCA #California #Crime
SAN DIEGO, CA – A covert ocean smuggling attempt unraveled Tuesday night off the coast of San Diego, California. U.S. Coast Guard officials stopped a panga-style boat carrying 14 Mexican nationals roughly 20 miles off Point Loma, marking the latest in a string of high-seas smuggling busts in the area.
The operation began when U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) flagged the suspicious vessel at approximately 4:45 p.m. The boat was heading north toward the maritime boundary between Mexico and the United States, a key zone frequently targeted by smugglers.
In response, the Coast Guard Cutter Terrell Horne was quickly dispatched to intercept. Armed with a highly trained boarding team, the cutter closed in on the panga and coordinated with CBP personnel to execute the interdiction.
Panga Carrying 14 Intercepted at Sea
Once onboard, the Coast Guard found 14 individuals crammed into the small fishing vessel, a common choice for smugglers due to its low profile and speed. Initial questioning revealed that all 14 were Mexican nationals attempting to reach the U.S. undetected.
The migrants were safely taken into custody and handed over to U.S. Border Patrol agents for further processing. Authorities have not yet disclosed any information regarding the individuals’ backgrounds or possible connections to organized smuggling networks.
This interception comes as panga-style boat operations continue to surge in the San Diego area. Authorities have seen a sharp increase in maritime smuggling attempts, with reports jumping tenfold in recent years. These boats often leave from Baja California, packed with undocumented migrants hoping to avoid detection.
Multi-Agency Crackdown on Smuggling
Tuesday’s operation was part of the Coast Guard’s ongoing Alien Migrant Interdiction Operations (AMIO) mission, which targets human smuggling along U.S. waters.
The mission relies on collaboration with federal agencies like CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to monitor and intercept suspicious maritime activity before it reaches U.S. shores.
The AMIO mission focuses on three key goals: deterring smugglers from using sea routes, intercepting them as far away from the border as possible, and strengthening bi-national security coordination. The Coast Guard plays a lead role in at-sea interdictions, while CBP and ICE handle land-based enforcement once migrants are brought ashore.
Last week, a similar smuggling attempt was thwarted 20 miles off Point Loma when the Coast Guard stopped another panga carrying 14 undocumented migrants. Just days earlier, 16 individuals were intercepted aboard a 25-foot vessel off Mission Bay Beach.
Smugglers Exploit Dangerous Ocean Routes
The increase in maritime smuggling has prompted the Coast Guard to allocate more resources and tighten its enforcement strategy along San Diego’s coastline. Smugglers often use panga boats because of their stealth, but the dangerous routes pose significant risks to the migrants on board.
The Coast Guard and CBP have emphasized that their joint efforts are vital to cracking down on this growing problem. Interdictions at sea prevent smuggling operations from reaching U.S. soil, reducing the risk of migrants disappearing into the country’s interior.
As the Coast Guard and federal agencies intensify their anti-smuggling patrols, more operations are expected to be intercepted in the weeks ahead. Smugglers continue to test U.S. maritime defenses, but officials have made clear they will remain vigilant in safeguarding the border.
RELATED TOPICS: California | Crime | Mexico
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