A group of about 12 suspected migrants who arrived by boat in Newport Beach were quickly picked up by waiting vehicles in what witnesses described to federal investigators as a coordinated human-smuggling operation.
The vessel reached a private dock in Newport Harbor last Saturday, carrying a large number of people who soon vanished into the affluent waterfront community. The 20-foot boat was later abandoned after colliding with and damaging a nearby yacht.
A local resident told The California Post that she watched the men climb into two vehicles parked on her street before driving away. The rapid departure has complicated the investigation and unsettled residents who previously viewed the neighborhood as particularly safe.
“They just drove away,” the woman said, adding that she later shared what she saw with a federal agent who arrived to investigate.
Law enforcement officials are seeking additional video that could shed light on the arrival and escape. So far, however, only one low-quality surveillance recording showing people leaving the boat has been released publicly.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said US Customs and Border Protection was notified after a witness reported seeing roughly 12 people get off a small boat in Newport Beach Harbor.
According to the 911 caller, about a dozen Hispanic men were aboard the fishing-style motorboat when it reached the 400 block of Edgewater Place on Newport Bay, near the Balboa Island Ferry.
A preliminary inspection found signs that the boat may have been used to transport people illegally. Customs and Border Protection has taken custody of the vessel.
The landing has shaken residents of the upscale neighborhood, where low crime rates and high property values had long contributed to a strong sense of security.
The Newport Beach incident came about two weeks after a US Coast Guard cutter stopped a 28-foot cabin boat carrying roughly two dozen suspected migrants in waters west of the city. Those aboard were brought to Newport Harbor and turned over to Border Patrol agents.
On July 29, the Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection encountered 21 suspected migrants aboard a small boat about four miles west of San Clemente Island. A 56-year-old man found unresponsive on the vessel later died at a hospital.
Newport Beach City Council member Erik Weigand said the harbor’s heavy volume of recreational boating could provide cover for smuggling operations. “We’re one of the largest pleasure craft harbors this side of the Mississippi. Maybe it’s just the high volume of traffic,” he said.
Weigand is seeking backing for a proposal to add surveillance cameras near the entrance to Newport Harbor. He said a system capable of flagging boats without registration tags could also help authorities identify possible traffickers.
Federal officials say organized crime groups in Mexico frequently assist human smugglers moving migrants into the United States. With enforcement at the land border tightened, authorities say more smugglers are attempting maritime crossings.
“They’ve become desperate and they’re trying to do ocean runs,” said Bill Essayli, Los Angeles’ top federal prosecutor. “It’s very dangerous, and if they’re caught, they will be prosecuted.”
Newport residents say additional harbor security is needed. They point to the private docks lining the waterway, many of which are not continuously monitored and could offer smugglers discreet places to bring people ashore.
“They found the soft underbelly of Orange County,” said Don Gerber, a retiree who lives near the water. “Sadly, I’m impressed by the expertise of these smugglers.”
