CBP Marine Officers Apprehend Two Vessels With Smuggled Migrants In San Diego Bay

U.S. Customs and Border Protection marine enforcement officers operating go-fast boats apprehended two private vessels with undocumented migrants that entered San Diego Bay over the weekend. The private vessels were attempting to illegally enter the United States using a popular annual Southern California boat race as cover, officials announced today.

Federal officers apprehended the first vessel at about 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 23, after observing a white and blue 18-foot Bayliner traveling from the direction of Mexican waters about six miles off shore. After the vessel passed the Harbor Island fuel dock at a high rate of speed, marine enforcement officers chased the vessel, hailing it with a siren three times before it yielded.

Once onboard, officers determined that the driver, a 27-year old female U.S. citizen, allegedly was smuggling four undocumented Mexicans. The boat was seized and three of the individuals were turned over to the Border Patrol for processing. The driver and one Mexican male were referred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to face alien smuggling charges.

Marine enforcement officers conducting routine patrols on Sunday afternoon stopped an 18-foot brown powerboat that was observed entering San Diego Bay from Mexican waters. Officers boarding the vessel noticed that it contained four males who could not speak English. After questioning the driver, a 34-year old Mexican male, officers later found counterfeit I-94 Record of Entry and Exit documents on three of the individuals. The four occupants were turned over to the Border Patrol for deportation to Mexico

Source DHS