SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A jet ski in Ocean Beach this morning is the latest sign of how people are being smuggled into the U.S. by water.
Three people were caught shortly after.
Smugglers are also getting more high-tech when crossing by land.
"U.S. Border patrol discovered that they were being videotaped by drone," said Agent Gerardo Gutierrez.
The drone incident happened at the end of January.
Agents said the discovery was made after a group of migrants ran through the Otay Mesa Port of Entry and made their way to a stash house in National City.
Agents followed the group to that stash house and realized the drone was used as a tool against them.
"This is something new. We've started tracking it since 2016, and from 2016 to 2021, we've had 24 instances that have happened in our area," said Agent Gutierrez.
Border Patrol said that activity is picking up in the San Diego Sector.
Since October 1st, there've been more the 69,052 encounters. That's about 29 percent more than there was this time last year.
"As border security increases along the southern border, we see more occurrences on the sea and new inventive ways like an unmanned aircraft," said Agent Gutierrez.
Border Patrol leaves this message to smugglers.
"The way to address this threat is we equip our agents with better equipment and just know when they try to come into the country illegally and bring contraband into the country illegally we will be there," said Agent Gutierrez.
