(The Center Square) – U.S. Customs and Border Protection is expanding maritime interdiction efforts in four major regions in U.S. coastal and international waters.
It has established four new “Customs Enforcement Areas,” expanding its enforcement jurisdiction from 12 to 24 nautical miles in designated waters adjacent to South Florida, Southern California, Puerto Rico and the Gulf Coast of Texas, it says.
“Smuggling organizations have exploited the outer edge of traditional customs waters by positioning vessels beyond the 12 nautical mile boundary, transferring illicit cargo at sea, and coordinating landings along remote shorelines,” CBP said. “The new designations strengthen CBP’s ability to counter those tactics and align its customs enforcement authority in these areas with the 24-nautical mile U.S. contiguous zone.”
CBP’s Air and Marine Operations will be working with Coast Guard crew and other federal partners to detect and interdict vessels used by cartels, foreign terrorist organizations and other criminal networks, CBP says. The designations provide a more consistent customs enforcement authority across these waters and support the investigation and prosecution of maritime smugglers, it adds.
“The ocean is not a safe haven for cartels and smugglers,” CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott said. “These designations give our agents the room to act sooner and stop threats before they reach the American people. If you are moving drugs, contraband, or people toward our shores, expect us to find you.”
The expanded authority was established to carry out directives in two executive orders issued by the president to secure U.S. borders, including at sea, to enhance operational control in areas facing ongoing maritime smuggling threats. The orders, EO 14165 and EO 14411, direct the Department of Homeland Security and its agencies, including CBP and the Coast Guard, to advance border security measures and bolster enforcement of customs laws.
The announcement comes after a Texas Operation Lone Star Task Force discovered that cartels were moving people, drugs, stolen cars and contraband from Texas into Mexico and across the Gulf to major ports in Florida, The Center Square exclusively reported.
It also comes as CBP AMO officers continue to arrest illegal foreign nationals at sea, interdicting smuggling attempts off the coast of Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The latest arrests are of citizens from the Dominican Republic, India, Ecuador, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Haiti and others.
Coast Guard crew are also continuing to apprehend illegal foreign nationals at sea off the coast of California. A recent interdiction involved apprehending nine aboard a panga-style vessel approximately 7 miles west of San Diego. In another interdiction effort, they apprehended another nine attempting illegal entry into the U.S. from Mexico via southern California. After spotting a 22-foot Seaswirl vessel entering Mission Bay, they intercepted it and apprehended all nine on board.
In another successful interdiction effort, AMO officers and Coast Guard crew apprehended 21 illegal foreign nationals approximately 14 miles west of San Clemente Island. AMO and Coast Guard Los Angeles-Long Beach watchstanders responded after receiving a call from a “Good Samaritan” who reported “a suspected alien smuggling vessel” near San Clemente Island.
AMO interdiction agents located the vessel and interdicted it. They also attempted to save a man’s life on board who was unresponsive by providing emergency care. He was transported to a medical center by helicopter but was later pronounced dead despite medical personnel efforts, CBP said.
In other interdiction efforts, Coast Guard crew continue to apprehend dozens in San Diego’s Harbor near Ballast Point. The most recent vessel was intercepted approximately 11 miles offshore of Point Loma. In this case, Coast Guard crew identified a 20-foot cuddy cabin vessel, intercepted it, launched a boarding team to investigate and discovered five illegal foreign nationals on board. In another, Coast Guard crew identified an 18-foot Sea Ray vessel 7 miles offshore of Point Loma, intercepted it and apprehended seven illegal foreign nationals.
In all cases, everyone apprehended was turned over to the custody of U.S. Border Patrol.
This is after Coast Guard crew made a record number of arrests off the coast of Florida during the Biden administration, repatriating thousands to Haiti and Cuba, The Center Square reported.
In California and Texas, Coast Guard crew actively assisted with deportation flights and launched Operation River Wall to patrol approximately 260 miles of the Rio Grande River in Texas.
It also came after they again broke records in 2025, seizing record volumes of drugs and intercepting narco-trafficking vessels. They also made strides after launching Operation Pacific Viper, a counter-drug operation in the Eastern Pacific Ocean targeting cartel and transnational crime coming from Central and South America, The Center Square reported.