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
