SAN DIEGO BAY, CA - MARCH 8: Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents of the Marine Interdiction Unit search the horizon for Mexican smuggling boats at the opening of the San Diego harbor on March 8, 2006 in San Diego, California. The CBP boat is roughly 8 miles from the U.S.-Mexican border with Tijuana on the Pacific Ocean. CBP agents patrol 91 coastal miles along the southern California coast to the Mexican border. Smugglers moving north are often interdicted at sea carrying marijuana along with their human cargo. Mexicans can pay 1200-1300 USD for a passage depending on where they are dropped off. The 25 foot CBP boat uses a variety of radar inputs from the U.S Navy fleet stationed at San Diego and from the US Coast Guard patrolling the area off of Point Loma, California. It is estimated that some 6.3 million illegal Mexican immigrants live in the US and some 485,000 undocumented Mexican immigrants enter the US annually. The US government estimates 11 million illegal immigrants reside in the US In 2005, San Diego and Imperial counties of southern California deported 40,335 Mexican and Central American immigrants. (Photo by Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images)
San Diego, California – In the early hours of Wednesday morning, the U.S. Coast Guard intercepted a small boat carrying 15 undocumented migrants roughly 10 miles off the coast of Point Loma, in what authorities describe as a suspected maritime smuggling attempt.
According to the Coast Guard, crewmembers aboard the Cutter Petrel spotted and stopped a 20-foot cuddy cabin-style vessel at approximately 4:20 a.m. The boat was reportedly overcrowded, carrying 11 adult males and 4 adult females, all of whom claimed to be Mexican nationals.
The Coast Guard Cutter Robert Ward also responded to assist in the operation. Both vessels are part of an ongoing joint enforcement effort aimed at preventing illegal maritime entries along the Southern California coastline, where authorities say smuggling attempts are frequent and dangerous.
“All 15 individuals were safely taken into custody by Coast Guard personnel and transferred to U.S. Border Patrol agents for processing,” a Coast Guard spokesperson said in a statement.
The incident underscores the persistent challenges faced by federal agencies in patrolling the maritime borders of the United States. Smugglers often use small, overloaded vessels with limited safety equipment, putting passengers at serious risk of injury or death, especially in nighttime or poor weather conditions.
Authorities continue to stress the dangers of these illegal crossings. In past cases, boats have capsized or been stranded, leading to rescues or fatalities. In 2021, a smuggling boat carrying over 30 people capsized off the coast of San Diego, killing three.
“This type of maritime smuggling is not only unlawful, but it puts lives in serious danger,” officials said.
The Coast Guard did not release the identities of the individuals taken into custody, and no further details have been provided regarding the origin of the vessel or who was operating it. An investigation into the smuggling operation is ongoing.
The apprehension is part of broader enforcement efforts coordinated between U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, and local law enforcement to monitor and secure the region’s coastline, which has become an increasingly popular route for human smuggling attempts.
As maritime interdictions continue, authorities say they remain vigilant in intercepting and dismantling smuggling networks that exploit vulnerable individuals seeking entry into the United States.
