SANIBEL ISLAND, Fla. – Crewmembers from Coast Guard Station Ft. Myers Beach, in Ft. Myers Beach, Fla., detained two suspected human smugglers at about 12:15 p.m today, after locating them about one mile south of Napps Point, in Sanibel Island, Fla.
Coast Guard Station Ft. Myers Beach received a call from the Lee County Sheriff’s Department at about 12:05 p.m. today, reporting that 11 Cuban migrants landed on Sanibel Island. Station Ft. Myers Beach immediately launched a 25-foot response boat to search for any suspected smugglers.
The Coast Guard crew located two suspicious males in a 29-foot blue go-fast vessel with two 250-horsepower outboard engines. The men and their vessel were brought to Station Ft. Myers Beach for questioning.
“Smuggling human beings into the United States can sometimes be dangerous, but it is always illegal,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Tasha Tully, Coast Guard spokesperson. “The fate of these individuals is not determined by the U.S. Coast Guard. From here, the suspects will be transferred into the custody of another agency.”
The two suspected smugglers were taken into custody by Customs and Border Protection. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is investigating the incident.
For more information on migrant interdiction, visit the Coast Guard Alien Migrant Interdiction website.
