U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations units intercepted a migrant smuggling vessel off the Florida coast early Monday morning, stopping an attempted illegal maritime entry into the United States, federal officials announced.
According to CBP, Air and Marine Operations units in West Palm Beach and Fort Pierce received a tip Sunday night from local surveillance teams regarding a 25-foot cabin cruiser that had departed Freeport, Bahamas, and was suspected of carrying migrants toward Florida.
CBP coordinated with the U.S. Coast Guard and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office to begin a joint interdiction effort. The Miami Air and Marine Branch deployed an AMO aircraft that located and tracked the vessel as it moved westbound without navigation lights.
At approximately 2:15 a.m. Monday morning, AMO Marine Interdiction Agents aboard Coastal Interceptor Vessels stopped the vessel roughly 11 nautical miles east of Juno Beach. The boat halted without incident.
Agents found 12 individuals on board:
- Two Bahamian nationals
- Three Chinese nationals
- Six Haitian nationals
- One Brazilian national
All 12 were transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Robert Yered for identification and processing.
“This successful interdiction highlights the critical importance of our multi-agency partnerships and the vigilance of our Air and Marine Operations crews,” said AMO Executive Director Andres Blanco. “Working seamlessly with the U.S. Coast Guard, CBP partners, and local law enforcement, we continue to disrupt transnational criminal organizations and secure our maritime borders, protecting both our communities and those who are often exploited by smugglers.”
CBP officials said the operation reflects ongoing efforts to target smuggling networks operating between the Caribbean and the United States. Air and Marine Operations uses aircraft, marine vessels, and a nationwide network of federal agents to monitor coastal approaches and intercept suspected smuggling attempts.
AMO currently operates with about 1,800 personnel, 240 aircraft, and 300 marine vessels across the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
