The Latigo Smuggling Incident of April 2012

Last week, as widely reported by mainstream media, a panga (fishing boat) from Mexico was caught off Latigo Canyon in Malibu late on the evening of April 25th and as part of their effort to evade the authorities the smugglers threw up to 80 bales of marijuana (aka, MJ) overboard and into the ocean.  During this initial night time operation Baywatch del Rey responded along with the LACo Sheriff''s Dept. and in the ensuing days the Baywatch Malibu crew was tasked with collecting a number of these bales of MJ found floating in the waters off Malibu.  The photos shown here by "County Recurrent" Freelance Reporter (and ocean lifeguard/paddler), Adam Sandler, show Baywatch Malibu offloading some of these bales to a waiting Sheriff's Dept. boat.


Per Adam on April 26th:


"I was finishing up a paddle today off Carbon/Surfrider beach around 1430 and noticed the LA County Sheriff's harbor patrol boat heading toward the Malibu Pier. It bobbed south of the Pier for a few moments and then I saw Baywatch Malibu heading in from the north. I suspected that maybe the Baywatch crew found more bundles of pot from that panga that jettisoned 80 bundles into the sea off Latigo cove on Tuesday night, so I grabbed my Canon. Sure enough, I was able to snap the transfer of one bundle from Baywatch into Sheriff's custody. Yep, today they found just one bundle, and it made me wonder how many more bundles are out there? The LASO boat then headed back to its MDR HQ, and Baywatch went back out on patrol."









Also, per Adam:  "Btw, in case you didn't know, the reason it was Baywatch del Rey as those crews are on 24/7 like Butki and Gitelson are on the Island -- and the HQ's -- and the panga boat was obs'd around 2200. Whereas, the Baywatch Malibu crew ties up the boat off the Pier when they go home, and are on a "page out" system - i.e. called to duty when duty calls - after hours." 

*** Many Thanks to Adam for sharing his remarks and photos!  ***

Additionally, per No. Section Chief Fernando Boiteux, the following LACo Lifeguard Units responded to the initial night time incident:

"LR300, Area 30, Baywatch del Rey, Section 2 and 3 on the incident along with Fire and law enforcement resources."


As for the Panga, Chief Boiteux indicated that "it was towed to MDR under the "feds" custody."

(All photos by & Copyright Adam Sandler 2012.  All Rights Reserved. Used here with permission. )

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"County Recurrent" note:  We would like to see this Panga transported to Latigo adjacent "Malibu Seafood" on PCH where it can be converted into an outdoor picnic table!  If you agree, please pass this idea along... maybe we can make it happen!  As of April 25th, Adam indicated that it was "tied up at Sheriff/Harbor Patrol/Baywatch dock in MDR";  and also said that "the panga had two 250 hp outboards and twenty gas cans."
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Until next time.....


"County Recurrent" News
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