Boat loaded with suspected illegal immigrants intercepted

UNION-TRIBUNE BREAKING NEWS TEAM

1:08 p.m. September 23, 2008

SAN DIEGO – Nearly two dozen Mexicans in a fishing boat were intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents early Tuesday morning off the coast of Torrey Pines, officials said.
At 3:30 a.m., authorities on patrol spotted a blue and white 26-foot panga vessel loaded with 22 suspected illegal immigrants.

Agents said they saw the boat as it was heading south at high speed without any navigation lights. The boat stopped after a brief chase about a mile west of the Torrey Pines Golf Course, officials said.
The sixteen men and six women aboard were wearing life vests. They were turned over to the Border Patrol to be processed for deportation.

Two of the men face possible federal charges of human smuggling, officials said. Three of the people in the group were detained as witnesses. The panga was also seized.
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Breaking News Team: (619) 293-1010; breaking@uniontrib.com

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