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San Diego, California – U.S. Border Patrol agents detained three people early Monday morning after a suspected smuggling operation that began off the coast of San Diego and ended at a neighborhood dog park.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), agents were tracking two personal watercraft that crossed the maritime boundary between Mexico and the United States before heading north toward Point Loma. A short time later, agents reported seeing a vehicle flash its headlights near the coast before quickly driving away.
Border Patrol officers followed the car to the intersection of 28th and Grape streets in South Park, near the Grape Street Dog Park, where they detained three people from the vehicle.
Witnesses at the park captured video of the late-night encounter, showing agents taking the individuals into custody. CBP later confirmed that all three were in the country illegally — two adult Mexican nationals and one adult Vietnamese national.
Officials said the suspects were transported to a Border Patrol station for processing and removal proceedings. The vehicle used in the incident was also seized as part of the ongoing investigation.
The arrests came amid a broader shift in federal immigration enforcement policy under the Trump administration, which recently announced plans to give Border Patrol leadership greater authority over ICE operations in cities across the country.
No injuries were reported during Monday’s operation. CBP said agents are continuing to investigate whether the maritime crossing and vehicle stop are part of a larger smuggling network operating off the Southern California coast.
