3 suspected smugglers face federal charges following seizure of nearly 3-ton marijuana load in Channel Islands

SAN PEDRO, Calif. – Three Mexican nationals who were allegedly piloting a panga interdicted Sunday that was loaded with nearly three tons of marijuana are expected to make their initial appearance in federal court Monday afternoon to face drug trafficking charges.

The three men were taken into custody early Sunday on San Miguel Island by personnel from the Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the multiagency Los Angeles Border Enforcement Security Task Force (LA BEST), which is spearheaded by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. The complaint affidavit was prepared by a Drug Enforcement Agent (DEA) assigned to LA BEST.

The incident began unfolding after a good Samaritan spotted the panga on the island and immediately contacted law enforcement officers at the Maritime Coordination Center in Long Beach. A CBP Office of Air and Marine Black Hawk helicopter was launched and flew over the northwest end of the island. After spotting the suspects, the helicopter touched down and the three men were detained.

The Coast Guard Cutter Halibut arrived on the scene, where the three suspect and the 5,700 pounds of marijuana were transferred onboard. The Halibut crew towed the panga back to Coast Guard Base Los Angeles-Long Beach, where the suspects and contraband were turned over to investigators assigned to the LA BEST.

The seized pot has an estimated street value of close to $3 million.

The arrests and seizure are another example of how the Department of Homeland Security’s Regional Coordinating Mechanism (RECOM), which focuses the Department’s efforts in the area, is helping to combat maritime smuggling activity along the Southern California coast.