Four men could potentially spend the rest of their lives behind bars after prosecutors say they tried to smuggle nearly 5,000 pounds of marijuana into Santa Barbara County from Mexico. The men were named in a federal grand jury indictment. Federal prosecutors say the four Mexican nationals from Sinaloa used a boat to try to smuggle the hundreds of bales of marijuana into the U.S.
The boat landed at Hollister Ranch Beach March 12th, where a crew of more than a dozen people was waiting to receive the marijuana. The elaborate operation even includes lookouts on a hill watching for law enforcement officers.
Because of the large amount of marijuana involved the four men face a minimum 10 year prison sentence, with a potential maximum of life behind bars.
