Illegal aliens left high and dry at San Luis port

Yuma Sun
BY JEFFREY GAUTREAUX, SUN STAFF WRITER
Dec 7, 2005

An attempt by two U.S. citizens to “sail through” the U.S. Port of Entry at San Luis, Ariz., with illegal aliens in a boat was stymied Monday afternoon by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers.

A 46-year-old man and 24-year-old woman from California tried to smuggle three people into the United States by having them hide in a 1974 Bayliner Saratoga boat that was being towed by their 1994 Ford F-150, according to a CBP release.

"This is a new one for us," said CBP Public Affairs Officer Brian Levin. "This is the first instance we've seen with people attempting to smuggle them inside a boat."

Seeing the interesting combination of vehicles and the suspicious actions of the driver and passenger, CBP officers decided to do an inspection. When officers boarded the boat, they found an illegal alien from Mexico hiding in the cabin and two more hiding in different structural areas under the cabin.

"They were actually hidden inside the boat," Levin said.

Levin said few boats come through the San Luis port of entry, so this raised the suspicions of officers. He said that normally people who are smuggled through the ports are riding in the open as passengers in vehicles.

"Somebody will claim they are a relative or their child, they claim citizenship or use someone else's documents, such as a birth certificate," Levin said.

The boat, trailer and truck were seized, and both the driver and passenger were arrested. The two alleged smugglers remain in custody, Levin said. The three illegal aliens are being held as material witnesses, according to the release.

Since Oct. 1, CBP officers at the San Luis port of entry have stopped 62 people from being smuggled through the port. Throughout Arizona, 155 people have been stopped at ports, including 93 people under age 18.

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Jeffrey Gautreaux can be reached at jgautreaux@yumasun.com or 539-6858.

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