This is becoming regular news in this area. Use to be rare to hear of this approach.
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Coast Guard seizes boat off coast, apprehends 11


UNION-TRIBUNE

7:16 p.m. March 22, 2008

SAN DIEGO – Eleven people authorities said were trying to enter the U.S. illegally were apprehended Saturday morning on a boat off the San Diego coast.
The crew of a Coast Guard vessel spotted a 30-foot recreational boat named El Pescador shortly before 5 a.m. about three miles off Point Loma. All of the passengers aboard, including one pregnant woman, were Mexican nationals.

No injuries or medical problem were reported. The individuals were turned over to Customs and Border Protection officials.

This was the second boat carrying illegal immigrants found off the coast of San Diego in less than two weeks. On March 12, 15 people were rescued from a disabled boat about 20 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Three men who were on the boat were arrested on suspicion of human smuggling. They have pleaded not guilty in federal court.

Over the past eight months, there have been more than 20 similar attempts to bring illegal immigrants into the country by boat, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. Most of the boats were found abandoned at a San Diego County beach or near the coast.

www.signonsandiego.com