CBP Prevents Attempt to Illegally Transport 13 Citizens from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia to Puerto Rico

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has thwarted an attempt to illegally cross the border aboard a sailing yacht carrying 13 citizens of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia en route to Puerto Rico.

The incident occurred on Sunday, 12 October, off the coast near Combate Beach. Air and Marine Operations (AMO) units detected a 41-foot yacht and tracked its movement toward the western part of the island.

With the assistance of the U.S. Coast Guard and Puerto Rico Police Department’s Rapid Response Unit (FURA), the vessel was intercepted and escorted to the Michel station for inspection.

Onboard were ten men from Uzbekistan, one woman from Kyrgyzstan, and two men from Russia. None of the passengers possessed documents authorizing lawful presence in the United States.

All detainees were found to be in satisfactory condition and were transferred to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit for further processing and investigation.