Boat full of suspected illegal immigrants stopped near San Onofre State Beach

April 14, 2010 | 1:47 pm

A small boat full of suspected illegal immigrants was intercepted off the northern San Diego County coast Wednesday morning, marking what authorities believe to be the latest sea smuggling attempt reaching far north of the U.S.-Mexico border.

The boat, avoiding a pursuing Orange County Sheriff’s Department Harbor Patrol vessel, headed near San Onofre State Beach, where it dropped off four passengers, authorities said.

The panga-style boat then tried to evade authorities again, landing near Trestles beach, where an additional 19 people were dropped off.

U.S. Border Patrol agents, waiting on land, arrested a total of 17 men and six women, said Daryl Reed, an agency spokesman.

Smugglers appear to be trying to land further north of the border to evade bolstered enforcement around San Diego waters.

-- Richard Marosi in San Diego

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