Coast Guard Foils Smuggling Attempt Off Mission BayAs reported by the U.S. Coast Guard, a patrol team successfully thwarted a smuggling operation on Sunday evening after immobilizing a vessel that was attempting to flee approximately seven miles from Mission Bay. The incident unfolded around 5:10 p.m., when a Coast Guard response unit detected a 25-foot cuddy cabin boat adrift in U.S. waters near Mission Bay. Upon approach, the vessel unexpectedly sped southward towards the Mexican maritime border, prompting an immediate pursuit by the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard initially discharged warning shots and then resorted to firing 15 non-lethal pepper-ball rounds; however, these measures did not deter the vessel, which collided with the patrol boat causing minor damage. Citing data from recent reports, it’s noteworthy that this year has seen an increase in Southern California’s Coast Guard patrol fleet—tripling its numbers—to enhance operations aimed at combating maritime smuggling activities effectively.