Coast Guard Arrests Human Traffickers Who Rammed Patrol Boat
The United States Coast Guard apprehended human smugglers who collided with a patrol vessel while attempting to flee and later assaulted officers, as detailed in court filings.
On January 5, Coast Guard personnel detained Oscar Eduardo Audelo-Rodriguez and Francisco Brado-Cota for illegally entering U.S. waters near San Diego while attempting to smuggle Mexican migrants. Around 4 p.m., two Border Patrol agents noticed a boat in Mission Bay resembling a vessel linked to smuggling activities.
Authorities observed that the number of fishing rods aboard was disproportionate to the number of visible passengers—a known smuggling tactic to disguise illicit operations as fishing trips—prompting them to prepare for interception, according to Military.com.
As the boat neared a launch zone, one agent concealed himself near a public restroom. When several individuals disembarked, the agent instructed them to remain seated. However, two men jumped back onto the boat and sped away.
One of the agents confirmed that the four remaining individuals on the dock were Mexican nationals attempting to enter the U.S. without proper documentation. They were taken into custody.
The Coast Guard was alerted to the fleeing vessel and, upon making contact, ordered the men to halt their escape attempt. However, the smugglers had other plans.
"The vessel rammed into the USCG vessel, and the two occupants of the vessel began throwing metal objects at the USCG boat and its occupants," court records state.
To disable the fleeing vessel, the Coast Guard fired rounds at its motor and deployed pepper balls—non-lethal projectiles—against the resisting individuals. Despite multiple warnings, the men refused to comply, forcing Coast Guard personnel to board their vessel, subdue them with pepper spray, and take control of the situation, the outlet reported.
By 5 p.m., the suspects had been taken to Ballast Point at Naval Base Point Loma and placed under arrest.
Two of the smuggled individuals, Rosa Enriquez-Andalon and Alejandro Sevilla Ramirez, revealed they had agreed to pay the smugglers between $7,000 and $16,000 upon reaching the U.S. Another migrant, Angel Alejandro Lopez-Alvarez, stated he planned to pay 400,000 Mexican pesos, approximately $19,500.
Several of the smuggled individuals identified Audelo-Rodriguez as the boat’s captain and Brado-Cota as his second-in-command.
Between the summer of 2021 and the winter of 2023, the Coast Guard detained more than 27,000 individuals attempting to enter the country unlawfully.
Former President Donald Trump has prioritized border security and immigration enforcement as central to his second-term agenda, having made it a focal point during his campaign. During the Biden-Harris administration, millions of migrants were allowed to enter the country illegally, with some committing violent crimes, including the murder of American citizens.
However, his efforts to enforce immigration laws face resistance from so-called ‘deep state’ operatives, including those within federal agencies, allegedly.
Border Czar Tom Homan recently stated that the FBI leaked details of upcoming immigration enforcement operations targeting illegal immigrants, warning that those responsible could face imprisonment.
"We think it’s coming from inside," he told Fox News' Sean Hannity on Tuesday, referring to unauthorized disclosures about ICE raids in Colorado.
Homan further alleged that the FBI was behind the leak of information about a major raid planned in California before the month's end. "Some of the information we are receiving tends towards the FBI," he noted.
The planned operation was significant enough to involve both FBI and DEA agents assisting ICE personnel.
Homan emphasized that such leaks jeopardize law enforcement officers, warning that “bad guys” could use the information to ambush them.
When Hannity asked Homan how confident he was regarding FBI involvement, he responded, "I talked to the deputy attorney general this week, and they’ve opened up a criminal investigation. He thinks the information is coming from [the FBI]."