U.S. Border Patrol agents encountered a group of 15 Mexican nationals, including one dead man, after a panga-style boat made a hard landing on the beach near Law Street in north Pacific Beach on Oct. 5. The maritime smuggling of the illegal immigrants — involving nine men and six women, occurred around 2:30 a.m., according to Border Patrol agent Scott Simon. Agents found two of the individuals inside of the 16- to 18-foot boat, one of whom was pronounced dead and turned over to the county Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy, he said. Thirteen others were found and arrested about one block away from the panga boat’s landing point shortly afterward, said Simon. Eleven of the individuals were transported to a local hospital with minor injuries, including one who suffered from hypothermia and dehydration. Simon said no drugs or contraband were found on the boat and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agency is currently investigating the case to determine who was in charge of orchestrating the human smuggling incident. Simon said there is a federal maritime security initiative with enhanced consequences for smuggling by way of ocean and waterways because of the growing trend and increased dangers associated with maritime smuggling. “The intent of the initiative is to prevent death, deter illegal entry and disrupt illegal activity,” Simon said. Maritime smuggling includes any illegal smuggling attempt by way of ocean routes, including boating, swimming, surfing and even scuba diving. Simon said that unless ICE officials determine there is a need to give any of the immigrants a formal deportation – which includes a formal hearing before a judge — the federal authority will expedite the illegal immigrants’ deportation without a formal trial. “With that comes a criminal record,” he said. “They must wait five years before they can apply to enter the U.S. legally.” Additionally, if any of the individuals attempt to enter the country illegally again, they will be charged with a federal offense and can face anywhere from two to 20 years of imprisonment. According to Lauren Mack, spokesperson for ICE, there have been 602 arrests involving maritime smuggling incidents in Southern California between Sept. 30, 2010 to Oct. 1 this year. Of those apprehended, 44 were drug-related arrests, all others were for maritime human smuggling. The number of maritime smuggling incidents this year has dropped since the 866 arrests made the previous year, which Mack attributes to a stronger enforcement stance, including the enhanced maritime smuggling-penalty measures. “This is a deterrent tool for their own benefit,” Mack said. “It’s such a dangerous way to be smuggled.”