Abandoned boat believed used for smuggling immigrants found on Aliso Beach
December 31, 2009 | 10:04 am
An abandoned capsized boat found on Aliso Beach is believed to have carried at least a dozen illegal immigrants who made their way to shore and to a waiting van, Laguna Beach police said.

The 18-foot skiff was discovered by a resident at about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday. He said he saw the boat wash ashore and that several people ran out of it, some of them wearing life jackets, said Lt. Jason Kravetz.

Kravetz said that when officers arrived, they found numerous life jackets and gasoline canisters, some with some gas still inside, sprinkled along the shoreline. A waterlogged GPS unit was also found on the beach.

“There were markings on some of the evidence that it came from Mexico, but no evidence that’s where the people came from,â€