>> >>: THE SUN IS SINKING OFF THE COAST OF OCEAN BEACH.
IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY FOR CAPTAIN ERIC LAMBING AND HIS BOAT RESCUE TEAM.
>> >>: WE GOT A CALL EARLIER THIS MORNING ABOUT A BOAT ON THE BEACH HERE.
>> >>: THE CALL WAS FROM U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION.
THIS BRANCH OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY CONTRACTS WITH COMPANIES LIKE THIS
ONE TO PICK UP ABANDONED SMUGGLING BOATS.
AGENTS SUSPECT THIS BOAT WAS SMUGGLING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN FROM MEXICO.
>> >>: AT THE TIME WE WERE IN HIGH TIDE, THE BOAT ENDED UP GOING ALL THE WAY PRETTY MUCH
ALL THE WAY UNDER WATER, SEVERAL TIMES, AND FILLED UP WITH SAND, AND THEN GOT BURIED IN
THE SAND.
IT'S BEEN QUITE A FIASCO TO GET IT OUT TODAY.
>> >>: LAMB WORKS FOR VESSEL ASSIST, LIKE TRIPLE A ON THE WATER.
PICKING UP SMUGGLING BOATS IS ONLY A SMALL PART OF HIS JOB, BUT HE'S TUG OUT, TOWED AND
TRAILERED A LOT OF THEM.
>> >>: IN THE LAST YEER NINE YEARS WITH THIS COMPANY WE'VE PULLED WELL OVER A HUNDRED 50
BOATS OFF THE BEACH BETWEEN HERE AND L.A. >> >>: SOME SMUGGLERS ARE MEMBERS OF VESTAL
U SES ASSIST AND HAVE CALLED HIM FOR A TOW.
LAMB PICKS THEM UP AND CALLS THE AUTHORITIES.
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENTS AND PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH THEM LIKE LAMB HAVE SEEN A SPIKE IN ILLEGAL
TRAFFIC ALONG THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST. 2012 WAS A RECORD YEAR WITH MORE THAN 200
SMUGGLING ATTEMPTS BETWEEN THE U.S. MEXICO BORDER AND SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
LAMB SAYS HE'S SEEN A LOT OF CHANGES IN THE SMUGGLING BUSINESS.
>> >>: FOR SEVERAL YEARS WE HAD NOTHING BUT MEXICAN PONGAS.
>> >>: THOSE ARE MEXICAN BOATS EASILY PACK WOULD PEOPLE OR DRUGS.
RACE UP THE COAST AT NIGHT, AND DROP OFF THEIR CARGO ON DESERTED BEACHES.
ABANDONED OR SEIZED BOATS USED TO GET AUCTIONED OFF BUT THE SAME ONES SHOWED UP AGAIN AND
AGAIN.
SO NOW THEY'RE CHOPPED TO PIECES.
>> >>: THEY'VE MANAGED TO JUST ABOUT DEPLETE THE FLEET IN ENSENADA.
>> >>: THESE DAYS SMUGGLERS ARE BECOMINGÊMORE INVENTIVE USING A VARIETY OF BOATS, EVEN PLEASURE
CRAFTS.
THE KIND OF BOATS YOU MIGHT SEE KIDS WAKE BOARDING BEHIND.
SMUGGLERS ARE GOING FARTHER OUT TO SEA AND FURTHER UP THE COAST.
>> >>: AS WE'VE INCREASED OUR RESPONSE CAPABILITIES, IN THE SAN DIEGO, ORANGE COUNTY AND LOS ANGELES
COUNTY AREA, WE'VE SEEN THEM PROGRESSIVELY MOVE FURTHER NORTH INTO SANTA BARBARA, SAN
LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
>> >>: COAST GUARD MEMBER DARRYL HORN THE THIRD WAS KILLED WHEN TWO SUSPECTED SMUGGLERS
RAMMED HIS BOAT.
FOLLOWING HORN'S DEATH COAST GUARD OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVEN'T MADE ANY MAJOR CHANGES IN
THE WAY THEY OPERATE.
THEY SAY THE JOB HAS ALWAYS HAD RISKS.
>> >>: I DON'T THINK IT'S ANYMORE DANGEROUS THAN IT WAS BEFORE.
WE'RE ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND THEY'RE TRAINED
TO HANDLE THE SITUATION.
HIS DEATH WAS AN ABSOLUTE TRAGEDY AND CERTAINLY MAKES US ALL REEXAMINE WHAT WE'RE DOING TO
MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING IT SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY.
>> >>: COAST GUARD MEMBERS CARRY GUNS.
LAMB DOESN'T.
HE SAYS HIS BOSS HAS BEEN TALKING TO THE COAST GUARD ABOUT HAVING THEIR BOATS GO AHEAD OF
LAMBS.
>> >>: I'LL BE OUT THERE, NO ONE ELSE, JUST ME, AND QUITE HONESTLY, WE REALIZE NOW THERE'S
NOTHING STOPPING THEM FROM PULL UP ALONG SIDE TO GET READY TO GET THEM, AND THEY SHOOT ME,
LOAD EVERYTHING IN MY BOAT AND THEY CAN GO ANYWHERE THEY WANT WITH MY BOAT.
>> >>: THE TWO MEXICAN NATIONAL ARRESTED FOR KILLING HORN, WERE ENDITED LAST WEEK IN LOS
ANGELES BUTT BY A FEDERAL GRAND JURY.