Malibu's coastline a magnet for drug, immigrant smuggling

Published:
Thursday, September 8, 2011 1:56 PM PDT


The discovery of an abandoned smuggling boat with 250 pounds of marijuana last Friday, along with the arrest of 10 illegal immigrants from Mexico the week before, are the latest incidents in an ongoing trend of human traffickers and drug smugglers targeting the Malibu area.

By Megan Farmer / Special to The Malibu Times

An abandoned drug smuggling boat found just north of Leo Carrillo State Beach last Friday, which contained at least 250 pounds of marijuana, is the latest example of a trend of human traffickers and drug smugglers heading further north up the California coastline to circumvent U.S. authorities.

Friday's discovery followed the apprehension of 10 Mexican nationals in Malibu a week before. The eight men and two women, ranging in age from 20 to 40, were discovered after their 25-foot, open-air “pangaâ€