In Huntington Beach, Officials Find 2,600 Pounds Of Pot On One Smuggling Boat And 18 Life Vests On Another

By Marisa Gerber Mon., Nov. 21 2011 at 4:25 PM

It's fair to say there are probably quite a few pissed-off potheads in Huntington Beach.

Why? Well, because a ton -- 2,600 pounds, to be exact -- of fresh Mexican weed will never make into their pipes.

On Nov. 12, law enforcement officials found a boat filled with about $1 million worth of weed along Pacific Coast Highway between Goldenwest and Seapoint streets, according to an Orange County Register story.

And, weed isn't the only thing being smuggled into Surf City. On Nov. 4, officials found another boat in the area and it had 18 life vests on it. Officials, therefore, assume it was used to smuggle people into the U.S.

While no arrests have been made in the Huntington Beach cases, the Register reports, officials did arrest 10 people on charges of suspected maritime human smuggling in Seal Beach last week.

These recent incidents are snapshots of an ongoing trend. In July, a boat carrying 14 suspected undocumented immigrants capsized near Crystal Cove State Park.

Claude Arnold, a special agent in charge for ICE Homeland Security investigations, told the Weekly that officials see evidence of at least two maritime smuggling attempts per week along the shoreline between northern Orange County and Santa Barbara.

Arnold attributes the increased frequency of maritime smuggling to a "tightening of the ports and in between the ports with Border Patrol."

Tags:

illegals, marijuana, Smuggling

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Mike King

This is funny. Hope they find more. Really legalize it. Then this kind of weed wont be an issue. Tax it and make some money. At the rate of people smoking pot grows, so does the vote for it. We can not get legal weed in this Country with the Government coming down on us, but we can illegal immigrants and give them the best educations so they can learn to do these kinds of things. It has become such a funny state of affairs in this Country. I know weed will never ago and will soon be legal and taxed like alcohol. As it should be. Then it will ease the prison systems, money flowing to fight to can goto help fight harder drugs and improve school, law enforcement, build better schools and good things. Just some random thoughts got to get back to work.

Awesome! We don't need Mexican Cartel violence or drugs here! We have enough legitimate growers in California! So glad to here that Mexican Cartel weed was discovered. Too bad no arrests were made, the Cartel is an awful gang that do terrible things to people and their families.

B_atwork

The only sound that was heard was "Hay Dios Mio, aqua es muy fria!"Not only do the illegals break the law by illegally coming over the border, they continue to do it when they inhabit cities like Anaheim and Santa Ana.

Paul Lucas

I would add the bullshit actions aginst mmj dispensaries along with the causes of this increase in smuggling of marijuana and other drugs along with the mules that carry them. the pack the stuff on their backs as payment for the coyote guiding them.

Blah

...but mexico definitely isn't the problem. Let's see how we can blame-shift this one on Americans. Ready, set, go.

Bill T.

There are three major inputs to this equation: Demand, Supply, Environment. We are responsible for two of the three.

Dirt Weed

mitch young

Meanwhile we have an entire fleet based in the Persian gulf, and one in the Med. Let's defund those and put the money into more coast guard here.

Oh, and legalize the dope.

Bill T.

Mitch! We agree again!

I do not partake (As I suspect you don't either Mitch), so this is from someone more an observer. Pot prohibition is stupid and only helps to put money in criminal hands and dilutes law enforcement efforts from where it could be better used.

mitch young

"Mitch! We agree again"

Uh oh. : )

20ftJesus

Bricked weed is for amateurs and illegal residents only.

OCLocal

yeah.. this willl not piss off any pot heads! :)

mitch young

Why isn't more hash produced in Mexico -- it would be easier to transport/smuggle. I'm not a stoner so I don't know, but it seems to me THC would be THC.

20ftJesus

Lower yield and more effort. Plus, they start with a THC-poor product.

I've seen well over a 100lbs of brick weed since the 60's -- you would recognize it immediately. A brick is formed by dumping stems, seeds, leaves, and bud into a brick-forming tool with soda pop added to act as a glue. Jarritos is for drinking; not smoking. Buy California grown cannabis!