C.B.P. News Release

Cooperative Law Enforcement Efforts Foil Illegal Immigration Attempts

(Tuesday, October 28, 2008)

Aguadilla, P.R. – Last Monday, Ramey Sector Border Patrol agents took custody of a large group of illegal aliens from the Dominican Republic who were intercepted onboard a pleasure craft sailboat. The sailboat was intercepted by the Puerto Rico Police Department near the town of Salinas on the southeastern coast of the island.

Marine unit agents from the Puerto Rico Police Department’s Joint Forces of Rapid Action intercepted a 37-foot sailing vessel attempting to enter Salinas Bay with a total of 39 illegal aliens onboard. The vessel was registered in the Dominican Republic.

Border Patrol agents responded and took custody of the aliens.

On Tuesday, 41 aliens were detained in separate vehicles traveling northbound to the San Juan Metropolitan area. The aliens had arrived earlier in the day onboard a sailboat, docking at a local restaurant in the Salinas Bay.

The subjects’ fingerprint information was entered in to the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System to check for immigration and criminal history violations. Aliens with documented immigration or criminal violations face potential criminal prosecution after further consultation with the U.S. Department of Justice.

These apprehensions exemplify the success of the partnership between FURA and Ramey Border Patrol Sector, stemming from the Caribbean Border Interagency Group. Since the inception of the CBIG and its robust prosecution program in 2006, migrant flow through the Mona Passage has decreased 76 percent.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Contacts For This News Release

no address available at this time

Jeffrey Quinones-Diaz
Public Affairs Specialist
Phone: (787) 882-3650 Ext: 2207

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