Thread: Two held in smuggling attempt

Two held in smuggling attempt

By Jose Luis Jiménez, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
Monday, April 19, 2010 at 5:41 p.m.

SAN DIEGO — Two men accused of smuggling 18 people into the U.S. from Mexico were in custody Monday, federal officials said.

Border Patrol agents spotted a panga about 2:15 a.m. Sunday as it approached the coastline of Ponto Beach in south Carlsbad. The agents were able to stop the 16 men and two women who got off the boat on the beach, but the captain of the vessel and another man returned to sea, officials said.

The agents alerted Customs and Border Protection agents and the U.S. Coast Guard, the latter of which spotted the boat heading back into Mexican waters from a helicopter.

A Coast Guard boat stopped the smuggling vessel about four miles north of the border and arrested two Mexicans they believe dropped the group of illegal immigrants off in Carlsbad, officials said.

A total of 20 people were arrested and taken to the Border Patrol Imperial Beach Station for questioning, and most of them are expected to be deported from the country, officials said.

The two men accused of smuggling the group into the U.S. may face criminal charges. The vessel was seized.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010 ... g-attempt/

The two men accused of smuggling the group into the U.S. may face criminal charges. The vessel was seized.

I wonder how much a seized panga would go for at auction?

Just post it on e-bay and probably with its smuggling credentials, it may bring a lot. I mean don't folks pay lots of money for grilled cheese sandwiches with a fry pattern of the Virgin Mary?
And what is a panga, and how does it differ from a motorboat, a dhow, sampan or a xebec?

Panga (boat)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the small watercraft used by commercial fishermen in Central America. See panga for information about the panga fish.

The Panga is the Central American/Mexican version of a skiff. The term "Panga" was used historically for any small boat other than dugout canoes. Today it usually refers to an open "semi-dory" type skiff, with strongly rising sheer and of comparatively narrow beam.

Pangas form the backbone of the small-scale fishing effort in Mexico, Central America and much of the Caribbean. Panga-design boats have become popular fishing and workboats in many parts of the developing world[1]

Pangas are usually between 19 and 28 feet in length, with capacities ranging from 1 to 5 tons and powered by outboard motors of between 45 hp and 200 hp. Their planing hulls are capable of speeds in excess of 35 knots.

The hulls are made of Fiberglass or FRP, heavily reinforced by numerous bulkheads and usually have bow and stern enclosed flotation compartments.

In the hands of an experienced operator they are considered extremely seaworthy. Most pangas are expected to have a working life of between 5 to 10 years if properly maintained.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panga_(boat)