Crime
Border Patrol agent, suspected smuggler killed in gunfight off Puerto Rico coast
The shooting took place about 12 miles from the coast of Cabo Rojo, a major drug smuggling corridor between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic
November 18, 2022 6:35am
Updated: November 18, 2022 4:44pm
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent and a suspected smuggler died during a gunfight on Thursday off the Puerto Rico coast that left several others injured, authorities said.
CBP’s Air and Marina Operations unit was conducting a routine patrol at around 8 a.m. on Thursday when the shooting took place about 12 miles from the coast of Cabo Rojo, a major drug smuggling corridor between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, The Associated Press Reported.
Three CBO officers exchanged fire with two people on board an alleged smuggling ship. The agents were all wounded and airlifted to hospitals near San Juan, where one of the agents was pronounced dead.
The two other agents are being treated in the hospital for multiple gunshot wounds, according to Dr. Israel Ayala, medical director of Puerto Rico’s Medical Services Administration. The identities of the officers have not yet been released.
Authorities said that one of the alleged smugglers onboard the boat was killed during the shootout. The second person onboard the ship was arrested.
The FBI is investigating the incident. CBP spokesman Jeffry Quiñones said it was unclear where the vessel came from, the nationality of the two passengers, and where it was headed.
Drug cartels often recruit fishermen from Colombia and Venezuela to smuggle cocaine to the Dominican Republic, where it is divided and transferred to smaller vessels to take to other destinations.
The CBP said a second boat was intercepted nearby by another U.S. marine interdiction crew. Officials found weapons and contraband onboard. The individuals onboard the ship were arrested.
“These are brave members of our Air and Marine Operations within U.S. Customs and Border Protection,” said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro before a Senate committee. “So the difficulty of this job cannot be compared to the difficulty that our frontline personnel face every day. Their bravery and selfless service should be recognized.”
