Thread: CA - 8 Jet Skis Crossed U.S.-Mexico Border in Recent Weeks

Posted by Khari Johnson (Editor) , September 16, 2013 at 02:55 PM
imperialbeachpatch.com


A Jet Ski pulled from the water near the mouth of the Tijuana River in Imperial Beach after an incident in May. Photo credit: U.S. Border Patrol

A number of Jet Skis have illegally crossed the U.S.-Mexico border since late August to drop off immigrants in Imperial Beach or Coronado , according to Paul Carr with the U.S. Border Patrol.

The most recent incident occurred Friday around 6 a.m. A witness said they saw the Jet Ski land in surf off Seacoast Drive south of Imperial Beach Boulevard, discard wet clothes and switch into dry clothes.

Sept. 13, 2 taken into custody near Seacoast Drive south of Imperial Beach Boulevard
Sept. 6, 2 taken into custody near Seacoast Drive south of Imperial Beach Boulevard
Aug. 31, 2 taken into custody on Silver Strand
Aug. 30, 6 taken into custody on Silver Strand
Aug. 28, 2 taken into custody at mouth of Tijuana River in Imperial Beach
Aug. 27, 2 taken into custody near Imperial Beach Pier

All 16 people taken into custody since Aug. 27 were Mexican nationals. None were arrested with weapons or other contraband, Carr said.

Since the start of the 2012-13 fiscal year there have been more than 550 maritime apprehensions in San Diego County, Carr said. He was unable to offer details on whether recent incidents are above or below an average maritime apprehension rate in South San Diego.

http://imperialbeach.patch.com/group...n-recent-weeks

16 arrests in last 3 weeks

Posted: 09/18/2013
Last Updated: 3 hours ago
Joe Little Joe Little
10news.com

SAN DIEGO - U.S. Border Patrol officials say more smugglers from south of the border are taking to the Pacific Ocean and using jet skis to sneak people into the U.S.

Border Patrol officials say agents have recently stopped six jet ski-related incidents along the San Diego County coast.

Since August 27, 16 people have been arrested between Imperial Beach and the Silver Strand, and a Border Patrol spokesman said all of them were Mexican nationals and none were caught with drugs or weapons.

The spokesman said there have been more than 550 apprehensions off San Diego's coast in the past year.

Officials say jet skis are useful because the small vehicles can't be tracked by radar and can travel upwards of 50 mph for more than four hours.

"They might use that more often at certain times, but it's nothing new," said Border Patrol spokesman Agent Jerry Conlin.

Besides being illegal, the jet skis are dangerous for the people being smuggled.

"They're not brought up to the beach; they're actually dropped off in the water and made to swim to shore," said Conlin.

http://www.10news.com/news/border-pa...into-us-091813