U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection patrols apprehended a small boat car- rying approximately 35 large packages of mari- juana yesterday morning just north of San Miguel Island.

Authorities took the three men on board into custody and decided to turn over all suspects and evidence to U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations special agents, according to a Coast Guard state- ment. The vessel was first spotted heading north- ward by a CBP aircraft, and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter was deployed to locate it. According to the statement, the helicopter found the boat stalled in open water after apparently running out of fuel at around 10 a.m., at which time the crew of a Coast Guard Cutter Blackfin boarded the boat and arrested the sus- pects.

Law enforcement agencies in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo along with California Highway Patrol also sent out additional patrols in nearby coastal areas after being informed of the incident.

—Staff Report

 

A version of this article appeared on page 5 of November 15, 2012’s print edition of the Nexus.

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