CBIG authorities intercept 18 undocumented aliens near Mona

San Juan, Puerto Rico – Caribbean Border Interagency Group (CBIG) federal law enforcement authorities intercepted this morning a single engine yola type vessel with 18 undocumented citizens of the Dominican Republic in the vicinity of Mona Island.

Near midnight the crew of a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) maritime surveillance aircraft detected a wooden makeshift “yola” boat en route east from the Dominican Republic towards Mona Island, Puerto Rico.

CBP air assets coordinated with the US Coast Guard and CBP marine assets to locate and intercept the vessel.

The USCG cutter Chincoteague reached and intercepted the vessel south of Mona Island.

The vessel description is a wooden white over blue in color and 25 foot in length, had 18 persons on board, 13 males and 5 females claiming to be Dominican nationals.

CBP Border Patrol Agents reached the Chincoteague and interviewed the undocumented aliens.

After biometric processing and verification of immigration and criminal records 5 aliens; 3 adult Dominican males, 1 Haitian female and 1 Haitian male, will be brought to US territory for criminal prosecution.

The crew of the Chincoteague transferred custody of five aliens to Ramey Sector Border Patrol Agents and repatriated the remaining 13 migrants at La Romana, Dominican Republic to awaiting Dominican Republic Naval authorities ashore.

People who venture to enter into a U.S. territory not only risk becoming victim of criminal organizations but can also be exposed to the inconvenience of a formal administrative processing and arrest by CBP agents or officers of CBP.

U.S. immigration law makes it a crime to enter or attempt to enter without requesting admission at a port of entry by immigration officers.

In July 2006, CBIG was formally created to unify efforts of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the United States Attorney‘s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, and Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action (FURA) in their common goal of securing the borders of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands against illegal migrant and drug smuggling.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.