15 detained after beach landing in Calif.
Mar 30, 2012, 9:21 PM
SAN DIEGO (AP) – Border Patrol agents have detained 15 suspected illegal immigrants who may have made a bogus distress call to divert authorities as they waded ashore in Southern California.
Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Michael Jimenez says the men and women were taken into custody Friday morning in Coronado, near San Diego.
Agents also recovered a panga (PAHN’-guh), which is a small open boat that is often used to smuggle people and drugs from Mexico.
Jimenez says that before the beach landing, authorities got a call saying a boat loaded with people was taking on water or capsizing in another area of Coronado.
He says that boat was never found and the call may have been a trick to keep authorities occupied. The panga boat that was recovered had no damage.
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Information from: U-T San Diego,
http://www.utsandiego.com
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