Air and Marine Operations Southeast Region crews apprehend 1,086 migrants in December
Release Date Tue, 12/19/2023
MIAMI— U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations Southeast Region crews worked with U.S. Coast Guard, Homeland Security Task Force-Southeast, local and international law enforcement partners to apprehend 1,086 migrants between Dec. 1 and Dec. 14, 2023.
On Dec. 5, Miami Air and Marine Branch and Jacksonville Air and Marine Branch Multi-Role Enforcement Aircraft crews located multiple smuggling vessels near Turks and Caicos Islands. The crews communicated the location to an Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos (OPBAT) team who coordinated for Turks and Caicos Islands maritime police to conduct the interdiction. Partner nation maritime teams apprehended 306 migrants over multiple events in a single day working with Air and Marine Operations aircrews who conducted aerial monitoring. This event accounts for nearly 30 percent of apprehensions in the first two weeks of December for the Southeast Region.
Overhead Image of vessel stopped by CBP in Caribbean
Dec.11, Air and Marine Agents worked with Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos Islands partners to apprehend 306 migrants in a single day over multiple events.
“This event highlights the cooperation between Air and Marine Operations branches. Aircrews from Jacksonville and Miami continued to work together throughout the day to keep eyes on suspicious vessels in order to guide maritime units to their location,” stated Drew Gellerson, Director of Air and Marine Operations, Jacksonville Air and Marine Branch.
Another significant enforcement event occurred on Dec. 11 near Key Largo, Florida. Marine Interdiction Agents received a report of an overloaded vessel near Islamorada. A Key Largo Marine Unit Coastal Interceptor Vessel crew responded and worked with multiple U.S. Coast Guard crews to apprehend 47 migrants. The migrants indicated they had departed Cuba approximately eight days prior and displayed an “SOS” flag when they were discovered by responding authorities.
https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/air-and-marine-operations-southeast-region-crews-apprehend-1086
