A collaborative effort between Customs and Border Protection Office of Air and Marine and the U.S. Border Patrol prevented a maritime human smuggling attempt yesterday that resulted in the arrest of seven Mexican nationals.
At approximately 5:30 p.m., CBP Air and Marine assets observed a suspicious 22-foot 1975 Chrysler boat travelling north near San Diego Bay. CBP Air and Marine followed the boat and contacted Border Patrol agents who responded to the area.
The boat docked at the Grape Street Pier and Border Patrol agents on shore performed an immigration inspection of the seven individuals that disembarked the vessel. The three females and four males were determined to be Mexican nationals who had entered the United States illegally by sea. Border Patrol agents took them into custody and transported them to a local Border Patrol station for processing and further investigation.
The seven Mexican nationals are being held in DHS custody pending further investigation. The vessel was seized by CBP Office of Air and Marine.
Customs and Border Protection is a member agency of the Maritime Unified Command. The MUC is comprised of the U.S. Coast Guard, CBP Office of Air and Marine, CBP Office of Field Operations, CBP U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as state and local law enforcement partners operating in the San Diego and Orange County maritime domain. The MUC utilizes the fusion of intelligence, planning and operations to target the threat of transnational crime along the coastal border.
