12 Arrested When Panga Comes Ashore
December 19, 2011
Byline: Associated Press
RANCHO PALOS VERDES, Calif. (AP) — Authorities said 12 suspected drug smugglers were arrested and 31 pounds of marijuana seized after a panga fishing boat came ashore in Rancho Palos Verdes.
The Daily Breeze newspaper reported that sheriff’s deputies, Coast Guard officers and federal immigration agents searched for the suspects for several hours after the boat was spotted shortly after midnight Nov. 30 at Abalone Cove. Eventually, 12 were taken into custody.
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman said the boat was packed with marijuana, and a box truck — presumably to transport the haul — was located on a nearby road.
In recent months, several pangas have been discovered along the coasts of San Diego, Orange, Ventura and Los Angeles counties.
