17 Illegal Immigrants Arrested After Boat Dropoff

LA JOLLA — Seventeen illegal immigrants were arrested Monday after they were apparently dropped off by boat at Black’s Beach, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said.

A U.S. Coast Guard patrol spotted a panga boat heading to the beach about 12:30 a.m. and Border Patrol agents found the boat washed ashore a short time later.

After a short search, the agents found 13 males and four females hiding in a canyon nearby.

It was the third foiled smuggling attempt in a month along North County shores.

On Friday, 22 illegal immigrants were arrested as they tried to come ashore from a boat at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base. Border Patrol agents who were on patrol spotted a panga boat, commonly used in Mexico for fishing, about 3:30 a.m. approaching the shore. The passengers were arrested by the agents and Oceanside Harbor Police officers.

On June 20, 18 illegal immigrants were arrested on the base after apparently being dropped off by boat. The boat was not found.