2nd Pendleton smuggling attempt foiled

By Susan Shroder, Union-Tribune Staff Writer
Friday, July 16, 2010 at 5:39 p.m.

Twenty-two illegal immigrants were arrested Friday morning as they tried to come ashore from a boat at Camp Pendleton, the second time in less than a month that a beach at the Marine Corps base has been used for a smuggling attempt.

The group included 19 Mexican nationals, one citizen of Guatemala and two citizens of Colombia, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said.

U.S. Border Patrol agents who were on patrol along the coast spotted a panga boat, commonly used for fishing in Mexico, about 3:30 a.m. approaching the shore. With the assistance of Oceanside Harbor Police officers who also were on patrol, the people were arrested as they got off the boat.

Some were suffering from severe sun exposure and dehydration.

On June 20, 18 people were arrested on the base after apparently being dropped off by boat. The boat was not found.

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