Reuters
– Tue, Jan 31, 2012
LOS
ANGELES (Reuters) - Police seized a motorboat packed with more than a ton of
marijuana north of Los Angeles and arrested
three Mexican men, the latest seizure as traffickers try to beat tougher border
security by taking to the waves, authorities
said on Tuesday.
U.S.
Border Patrol agents intercepted the
open-topped "panga" style vessel packed with plastic-wrapped bundles
of marijuana at Point Dume State Beach in Los Angeles County on Saturday, the U.S. Border Patrol said in a news release.
The
three men on board the boat had entered the United States illegally and were
turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement agents.
As
security has tightened in recent years along the United States' porous border
with Mexico, trafficking organizations have increasingly taken to smuggling
drugs and illegal immigrants by sea to the Los Angeles area.
In
the 12 months to the end of September 2011, authorities recorded 26 maritime
smuggling incidents in the greater Los Angeles area, including seven in Ventura
County. Since then, there have been 14 incidents including three in Ventura
County and one in Santa Barbara County.
U.S.
authorities have in recent months ramped up efforts to target sea-borne
smugglers taking the longer route to the Los Angeles area, expanding the use of
marine patrols, land-based surveillance, and cooperation with their Mexican
counterparts.
The
seizure on Saturday followed a tip from the California National Guard.
(Reporting
By Tim Gaynor; Editing by Greg McCune)
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