Panga Boat Seized off Santa Barbara County Coast
Gaviota Coast - September 1st, 2011
The Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office is asking the public to be on the lookout for Mexican smuggling boats that have been spotted recently off the Santa Barbara Coastline.
As recently as yesterday morning, Wednesday, August 31, 2011, a “Panga” boat was discovered abandoned off the Gaviota Coast. Although the boat was empty, there was evidence it was used for illicit narcotics trafficking.
Panga boats are small open watercraft powered by one or more outboard motors. They are commonly used by fishermen in developing countries and have become increasingly popular with smugglers who are transporting, illegal immigrants, narcotics, or other contraband from Mexico to the United States.
Panga boats are typically between 19 to 28 feet in length, but the boat recovered off the Gaviota Coast yesterday was 30 feet. It has since been towed by the U.S. Coast Guard and stored as evidence. Although relatively small in size, Panga boats are considered very sea worthy and have made illegal runs from Mexico to as far north as the San Francisco Bay Area.
The Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office is asking the public to be aware of the growing problem and to please contact law enforcement if they see any suspicious boats in the ocean off Santa Barbara County. They can also call the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) toll-free 24-hour tip line at 1-866-DHS-2ICE.
Photos of the Panga boat seized yesterday are being provided with this news release as an example, but it should be noted that the size and color of the boats may vary.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), State Parks Fish and State Fish and Game also assisted the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office in yesterday’s incident. Due to the ongoing investigation, no further information is being released.
For more information regarding news related issues
please contact Drew Sugars, Public Information Officer.
Business Hours: (805) 681-4100
EMAIL:pio@sbsheriff.org |
