Authorities have recovered what’s believed to be an abandoned drug smuggling boat on an isolated section of the Santa Barbara County coastline.
A Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office helicopter on routine patrol spotted the 25 foot long boat on a beach near Gaviota Sunday morning. Local state, and federal law enforcement officers arriving on the scene found 18 mostly empty fuel containers on the abandoned boat.
There were no signs of people who might have been on the boat, or its cargo.
Panga boats of this type are commonly used to smuggle drugs and people from Mexico into the United States. The Department of Homeland Security took the boat, and is conducting an investigation.