20 suspected illegal immigrants detained after boat lands in El Segundo

By Larry Altman Staff Writerdailybreeze.com
Posted: 03/21/2012 09:32:28 AM PDT
March 21, 2012 5:51 PM GMT Updated: 03/21/2012 10:51:10 AM PDT

Nineteen men and women, plus a child, were detained today on suspicion of trying to illegally enter the United States when their boat landed on an El Segundo beach, authorities said.

The Mexican-style panga hit the shore at 6:45 a.m. on the beach south of the Chevron refinery near the NRG power plant, federal officials said.

Witnesses told police they saw numerous people running from the boat in all

The Mexican-style panga hit the shore at 6:45 a.m. Wednesday on the beach south of the Chevron refinery near the NRG power plant, federal officials said. (Google Map)directions as El Segundo and Manhattan Beach police officers, along with sheriff's deputies, Coast Guard officers and lifeguards arrived to surround them, El Segundo police Lt. Ray Garcia said.

Fifteen men, four women and one child were detained.

Garcia said the boat originated from Tijuana, Mexico on Tuesday evening and that the people were trying to enter the country illegally.

The people were turned over to U.S. Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Several pangas have arrived on South Bay and Harbor Area beaches in recent months. Smugglers trafficking marijuana or human cargo have taken to the ocean in small Mexican fishing boats to enter the country because of increased security on land at the border.

larry.altman@dailybreeze.com

20 suspected illegal immigrants detained after boat lands in El Segundo - Press-Telegram