Smuggler who zipped into Imperial Beach on personal watercraft arrested in Mexico
A Mexican smuggler zipped into U.S. waters on a personal water craft on Saturday and dropped off an illegal immigrant at Imperial Beach before speeding back to Baja California, where he was caught by Mexican police, according to U.S. border authorities.
The illegal immigrant who came ashore, a 25-year-old Mexican national, was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol Agents who had been tracking the craft from the moment it crossed the U.S.-Mexico maritime border, according to agency officials.
Smugglers have used water craft several times in recent years and are often able to escape back to Mexico. This time, U.S. agents contacted Mexican authorities who arrested the craft's operator as he came ashore at Rosarito Beach.
San Diego County’s Imperial Beach, only two miles north of the border, is a favored drop-off point for unusual maritime smuggling attempts. Earlier this month, two Mexican immigrants got to the California beach by using dive scooters, which are self-propelled underwater devices typically used by scuba divers.
The immigrants, ages 16 and 38, were in their wetsuits, lying in the sand and attempting to hide when agents arrested them. People have also tried to enter California by swimming and using jet skis or surfboards.
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EDITOR'S PICKS:
yawn.
Posted by: Macca Doo | February 14, 2011 at 09:15 PM
So, our borders are so secure that a Mexican National can "zip" into US waters and drop off illegal aliens, turn around and "zip" back to Mexico? Maybe it's me but I sure have a different idea of what border security should be. Wow.
Posted by: Ruth G. | February 14, 2011 at 09:55 PM
Meanwhile, a 1000 others landed safely on Catalina...
Posted by: RabidinL.A. | February 15, 2011 at 05:13 AM
Send them to labor camps for 6 months...then deport them...It's win, win...
Posted by: TheBigPicture | February 15, 2011 at 09:39 AM
So you, Ruth G., are going to build a fence that extends 200 mile out to sea?
Or I will bet you are one of those anti tax TPs that would cry crocodile tears, when you found out how much it costs to keep a Coast Guard boat constantly watching the area, and have no Idea how many it would take to watch the area for the 200 miles.
Posted by: David_U | February 15, 2011 at 02:38 PM
"...arrested in Mexico...where he was immediately set free to resume his smuggling operation."
Posted by: Bob Johnson | February 15, 2011 at 03:55 PM