Suspected smugglers kill one US border agent and injure 3 in shootout off Puerto Rico coast
November 17, 2022
A border agent reportedly died following a shootout with suspected smugglers.
WASHINGTON — Suspected smugglers engaged in a shootout with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents, leaving one officer dead and three injured off the northwestern coast of Puerto Rico.
One of the suspects was also killed in the fire fight which happened about 12 miles off the coast of Cabo Rojo after officers approached a vessel they suspected of carrying illicit substances to the island, according to the CBP.
The agents were part of the special Air and Marine Operations (AMO) unit, who specialize in intercepting substances and people illegally approaching US territory.
“The Marine Agents suffered various gunshot injuries,” the agency said in an email to The Post. “The agents are being airlifted by CBP and Coast Guard to the Puerto Rico Trauma Center.”
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in testimony before a Senate committee AMO agents were “gravely wounded” and confirmed one was killed.
US Customs and Border Protection patrols US coastal waters for illegal activities.
“These are brave members of our Air and Marine Operations … 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,” Mayorkas said.
CBP spokesman Jeffrey Quiñones said Thursday morning he did not know where the vessel originated from, the nationality of its two passengers or whether it was carrying narcotics.
AMO employs 1,800 federal agents and support personnel who patrol the skies and seas for illegal activity and threats to national security throughout the US, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, according to its website.
“AMO interdicts unlawful people and cargo approaching U.S. borders, investigates criminal networks and provides domain awareness in the air and maritime environments and responds to contingencies and national taskings,” the division said on its website.
The unit seized nearly 325,000 pounds of cocaine,
780,000 pounds of marijuana, 1,200 pounds of fentanyl and 18,500 pounds
of methamphetamine in fiscal year 2021, according to the AMO.
1 comment:
Too bad they didn't just blow the boat out of the water and save the government the cost of the trial.
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