Elevate your local knowledge

Sign up for the iNFOnews newsletter today!

Select Region

Coast Guard: Cuban national suspected of human smuggling

[byline]

MIAMI – Coast Guard officials say a Cuban national is suspected of attempting to smuggle 14 people into Florida by boat.

According to a Coast Guard statement Friday, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection airplane crew spotted a suspicious vessel Tuesday near the Bahamas. The statement says that the vessel would not stop when U.S. authorities intercepted it about 12 miles southeast of Miami.

Officials said Customs and Border Protection crews fired “warning shots and disabling fire” before a Coast Guard cutter arrived on scene and took 15 people to shore.

One migrant came from Ecuador, one came from Jamaica, six were Chinese and six came from Sri Lanka.

The Coast Guard says the Cuban national, a legal permanent resident of the U.S., is being investigated on suspicion of human smuggling.

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.