see also: in June 2006 News Releases:   CBP Border Patrol Seize Over 1.1 Million Pounds of Narcotics Through the Third Quarter of Fiscal Year   Full Enforcement for Wood Packaging Material Import Regulations to Begin July 5   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers at El Paso Port of Entry Nab Man Wanted on Homicide Warrant   CBP Border Patrol Agents Seize Narcotics in Boat   CBP Border Patrol Nets Over $600,000 Thousand During Cocaine Seizure   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers Discover Seven Pounds of Heroin Hidden Baseball Bats   Border Patrol Agents Rescue Nine People From Tractor Trailer ...more on cbp.gov:   Press Officers   CBP News Releases

contacts for this news release

Miami, FL – U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Interdiction agents intercepted 43 illegal aliens aboard a dangerously overloaded 38-foot go-fast early Monday morning, 18 nautical miles South of Marathon in the Florida Keys.

A Customs and Border Protection, Maritime King Air surveillance aircraft, based out of Homestead, Florida, spotted the go-fast, as it was running lights out toward the Florida Keys. In an effort to interdict the go-fast three Customs and Border Protection 39-foot Midnight Express high-speed interceptor class vessels were launched from Key Largo and Marathon, along with a Customs and Border Protection Black Hawk helicopter, based out of the Homestead, Florida.

The CBP Maritime King Air maintained surveillance of the go-fast for approximately three and one-half hours until a Customs and Border Protection High Endurance Tracker aircraft, based out of Jacksonville, Florida, arrived on scene to relieve them and continued the surveillance and interdiction mission.

The go-fast was successfully stopped by two of the Customs and Border Protection interceptor vessels at approximately 7:00 a.m. Monday, 18 nautical miles South of Marathon where agents found the boat to be dangerously overloaded with men, women and children. A total of 43 illegal aliens were transferred to the Coast Guard Cutter Diligence for repatriation to Cuba.

Within the last 48 hours 133 illegal migrants have been repatriated. The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Drummond repatriated 97 Cuban migrants to Bahia de Cabañas, Cuba yesterday; and the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Metompkin repatriated 36 Cuban migrants Tuesday.

Human smuggling is dangerous, potentially deadly and illegal and anyone with information regarding suspicious activity is asked to report it to U.S. Customs and Border Protection by calling 1-800-BE-ALERT.

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.