A U.S. Coast Guard Station San Juan boat crew, working alongside federal partner agencies under the Homeland Security Task Force San Juan Region, apprehended eight stowaways discovered aboard a commercial barge in Puerto Rico's San Juan Harbor on May 22.
The stowaways, including four Chinese nationals and four nationals from the Dominican Republic, were transferred to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel at the Puerto Nuevo Terminals for processing.
The operation began when Coast Guard Sector San Juan watchstanders received a report from the CBP Caribbean Air and Marine Operations Center indicating a visual detection of possible stowaways aboard the 402'9"x100' inbound barge Charlotte Bridge, which was under tow by the 120'x34' Dawn Services tugboat Southern Dawn. Watchstanders directed the tug's master to hold position outside the harbor while a Station San Juan boat crew was launched to respond.
The boat crew intercepted the tug and barge, conducted a safety and security boarding, and apprehended the eight individuals before transferring them to waiting CBP agents at Puerto Nuevo, the Coast Guard said.
"The coordination and swift response of the Coast Guard and our partner agencies to apprehend and process these stowaways demonstrates our collective commitment to securing and protecting the U.S. maritime border and navigable waterways in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands," said Cmdr. Matthew Romano, Coast Guard Sector San Juan chief of response.
The interdiction was carried out under the Homeland Security Task Force San Juan Region, a multi-agency partnership that includes Coast Guard Sector San Juan, the Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration Caribbean Division, the FBI San Juan Field Office, ICE Homeland Security Investigations, CBP, U.S. Border Patrol Ramey Sector, the U.S. Marshals Service, and several other federal law enforcement and regulatory bodies operating in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Stowaway incidents on commercial vessels entering U.S. ports present both security and safety concerns, often requiring maritime law enforcement to conduct boardings at sea before vessels enter harbor.
The Southern Dawn and the Charlotte Bridge operate as part of Trailer Bridge’s regular weekly service between Jacksonville, Fla., and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
In December, two suspected unauthorized migrants were rescued and apprehended after they jumped from the same barge into the water while transiting into San Juan Harbor.
