15 illegal aliens arrested in San Diego after unauthorized boat landing

Another unauthorized panga boat landing at a San Diego beach leads Border Patrol agents to 15 illegal aliens who unlawfully entered the U.S. The maritime human smuggling attempt unfolded yesterday near popular tourist destination Ocean Beach. Agents assigned to the Southern California coastal border enforcement said they witnessed a fast moving panga boat with no nighttime lights heading towards Mexico. Border Patrol agents quickly responded to the scene and located a 30-year-old Mexican national male. According to agents the man was dressed “in wet, sandy clothing hiking up a path from the beach, and they arrested the individual after determining he had entered the country illegally,” said San Diego Border Patrol Agent Jerome Conlin. Border Patrol agents continued their search beneath the cliffs and located another 14 illegal aliens. “A U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Air & Marine aircraft responded to assist agents in searching the area in an attempt to locate additional subjects,” Conlin said. Border Patrol reported that they apprehended 10 men and five women who admitted they entered the country illegally aboard the fleeing panga boat. “Fourteen individuals claimed to be Mexican nationals and one male claimed to be a Guatemalan national,” Conlin added. “The subjects were arrested and transported to a local Border Patrol station for processing and further investigation.” Border Patrol agents encourage anyone with information about a possible maritime smuggling activity along the Southern California coast to contact the San Diego Sector U.S. Coast Guard Joint Harbor Operations Center at 800-854-9834. For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/homeland-security-in-national/kimberly-dvorak © Copyright 2012 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.