136 Migrants Intercepted at Sea by US Authorities
Dangerously overloaded boats could have resulted in tragedy
US Authorities in recent days have blocked attempts to smuggle more than 130 migrants by sea. The largest reported human-smuggling attempt occurred on February 26, 2025, when a Jacksonville, Florida-based US Customs & Border Protection (CBP) Patrol Aircraft spotted a 40-foot boat with 115 Haitians aboard off the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The CBP aircrew alerted local authorities, who intercepted the vessel.
The simple wooden craft- known by locals as a "yola" - is designed for a small fishing crew - not more than 100 people. Besides stopping a human smuggling attempt, intercepting this dangerously overloaded vessel likely prevented a large-scale tragedy from occurring.
Then - last week - the US Border Patrol (USBP), US Coast Guard (USCG), and the CBP took down another human smuggler at sea piloting a "panga" (another simple small fishing boat) loaded with 21 migrants.
The location of this interception (this time in US waters) wasn't disclosed - but these pangas are typically favored by Mexican smugglers in the Gulf and Pacific.
The Chief of the US Border Patrol says one of those apprehended " has an extensive criminal history- carjacking, assault with a firearm, and using a firearm in a felony. He was (once) sentenced to 13 years in prison."
He now faces another felony charge - this time for illegal re-entry into the United States.
These recent interceptions of human smugglers at sea follow a series of apprehensions off the California Coast I wrote about earlier this week - which you can read about HERE (leading me to pose the same question I did in that story):
Should the US Navy be called upon to join the Coast Guard & US Customs & Border Protection to help seal off the California Coast?
Share your opinion in the comments on this article!
Abrazos,
Jack Beavers
