U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations agents interdicted an attempted human smuggling incident off the coast of California, according to Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks. A video posted on X shows the agents ramming the alleged smuggler’s boat in an attempt to stop them.
Chief Banks said they received information from the Mexican Navy about a vessel that refused to stop for them and the U.S. Coast Guard a few days earlier. AMO agents attempted to stop the boat near the San Diego coastline, but the driver refused to heave, Banks stated in a post on social media.
USBP and CBP Air & Marine Operations (AMO) stopped two suspected smugglers in the open waters of San Diego, CA, after receiving reports from the Mexican Navy about a vessel with two individuals that failed to stop for them and the U.S. Coast Guard a few days prior. Law… pic.twitter.com/tgLXqOh11a
— Chief Michael W. Banks (@USBPChief) April 28, 2025
“Even in the open ocean, the border has a line- and we will defend it,” Banks stated.
The AMO agents “disabled the vessel” and took two alleged human smugglers into custody. They two are facing charges of failure to heave (18USC2237) and inadmissible alien (8USC1182).
U.S. Border Patrol and the U.S. Coastguard intercepted a human smuggling attempt just off the coast near Oceanside, CA. The leisure vessel was carrying 19 illegal aliens, 3 of which were smugglers. The smugglers now face felony charges for alien smuggling (8USC1324), while the… pic.twitter.com/E1seXLjEFi
— Chief Michael W. Banks (@USBPChief) April 25, 2025
A few days earlier, Banks reported the arrest of 19 illegal aliens, including three alleged human smugglers. Border Patrol and the U.S. Coast Guard teamed up to interdict a smuggling vessel off the coast of Oceanside, California. Banks said the smugglers face federal alien smuggling charges (8USC1324). Others on the boat were charged with felony illegal re-entry (8USC1326).
Bob Price is the Breitbart Texas-Border team’s associate editor and senior news contributor. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday morning talk show. He also serves as president of Blue Wonder Gun Care Products.
