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Feds seize 204 bales of marijuana from panga near San Simeon

December 27, 2013

pangaLaw enforcement officials seized 204 bales of marijuana, totaling 3,570 pounds, from a panga boat that beached north of Piedras Blancas Lighthouse and San Simeon on Monday. [Tribune]

A witness spotted the smugglers late Monday afternoon and alerted the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office. The smugglers left the marijuana bales and fled.

“If it was not the whole load, it was a substantial part of it,” said Sheriff’s Sgt. Stuart MacDonald. “It looked to me to be about all the vessel would carry.”

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigators, sheriff’s deputies, State Parks rangers and CHP officers responded to the scene around 5 p.m. Monday but could not catch the smugglers

No arrests have occurred and a Homeland Security investigation is ongoing.

MacDonald said Monday’s smuggling operation was poorly organized.

“I think it’s safe to say the shore side logistics were not in place,” MacDonald said. “There appears to have been no vehicle to load the drugs into.”

The boat used by the smugglers has a value of about $10,000. Each of its two motors is worth about $2,000.

The watercraft was the 10th panga confiscated in San Luis Obispo County since May 2012.

The sheriff’s office is using federal grant funds to increase panga patrols.

 


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Prohibition doesn’t work! Legalize it, allow people to grow their own, trade with friends and let’s spend our war on drugs budget on meth, coke, heroin and any other serious drugs. Pot has never been a problem other that the fact it is illegal, which puts in in the control of criminals.


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Why is it everyone is scared of marijuana? Then are you scared of alcohol? In my book these two substances are about the same other than I rather deal with people that are high, than those that are drunk. In all my years I have seen drunk assholes but never one who was high.


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Just think of the increased profit margin of the likes of Mickey D’, 7/11, Taco De Mehiko and all other fast food joints as the munchies set in. I think were on the precipice of whats now a lazy adolescent America becoming a lazy ass grown up America as the buzz kills all motivation to do much. I do have to ask who the hell is buying this Mexican shit weed? Back in the Hi school days it was a $10 lid which got you a baggie of Mexican dog weed. You cant these panga ganja loads are of any quality like the stuff from the green triangle. Us Californians know our pot and its like a fine gourmet chef presentation compared to the likes of Jack in the crack for dinner. But then perhaps Ive answered my own question since were a state of junk food loving D’bags.


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Once again. So simple. Remove the profit motive.


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Not true. Colorado still has trafficking going on. I-25 is still busy with drugs moving in and out of Colorado into the Eastern cities and prices haven’t been hurt at all since the legalization was passed. Things haven’t slowed down at all. Check with law enforcement in that state.


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Yea because it is one of only two states. My comment was as a whole all around. Can you show me where it has gotten better with all the enforcement in the last forty years??


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For all the negs. I see, you won’t show how it is better. I went out and found a link to the Rolling Stone article I mentioned “How America Lost the War on Drugs”. It is lenghthy but a good read.


http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/how-america-lost-the-war-on-drugs-20110324


Again how has it gotten better? Did we have Sinaloa cartel south of us forty years ago? Was Mexico the blood bath it is, forty years ago? How about across the border in Juarez? It has gotten nothing but worse.


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Jack, we have been down this road before. It was called prohibition back in the ’20s.


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Jack Colorado’s law doesn’t even go into effect until January 1st, 2014, so maybe you should give it a little more time?


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References/Links to info please!


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“The Criminal Groups are not as some of you assume some Mexican poor illegals. It is major will known Organized, Criminal groups , read some of the posting on Cal Coast News, or the Tribune News. Since Gangs members openly attended a ” Gang Conference” two weeks ago in San Luis Obispo they too learned more than you think. They can operate with impunity they can listen to covert communications, jam communications, use SATCOM’s, have access to running 10-28, 10-29’s on vehicles they suspect are Narcs. They in some cases have access to NCIC, LEIU, OCCIB,AWWS etc. these members many live along the Central coast and fit in your community as regular people. La Eme, N Familia, MS-13, HAMCO, Mongols, 18th st., Bulls Dogs are all here and several businesses are actually owned and money is laundered via there businesses” PORAC http://www.topix.com/forum/slo/TT25G15PNJ6LJ727P


Seal the border and stop the Panga invasion where it starts. We don’t need and our county can’t afford to stop an international drug smuggler invasion from another country. Contact and demand action from Governor Jerry Brown and Lois Capps.


I can only guess that Feinstein, Boxer, Pelosi, Brown, and Capps (all in their late 70’s) are out at the old folks home line dancing while we are being invaded by a foreign country. (Speak loudly–seal the border– because they’re hard of hearing).


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I wish it was as easy as sealing the border. We have fought this for years with money and agents and it just gets worse. (See Rolling Stone mag. Dec. ’07 U.S. failed war on drugs). I for one look at it from an economic stand point. Legalize it. Price will drop and with value down, so goes incentive to bring across the boarder.


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First, you CANNOT seal the border. Second, even if you could, this is NOT East Germany. If you’re so concerned, move somewhere else. But I will not live in a country with a sealed border. Not only can you not get in, you cannot get out. You certainly have learned nothing from history,


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By the term “seal the border”, today’s common usage means to require legal entry and exit across the border. It can never be completely sealed, but, in fact, the border was effectively sealed in the Eisenhower days by mass deportation from the US back to Mexico. I’m not suggesting that, and I am very aware of the trade that takes place across the border that needs to continue and expand in spite of Pena Nieto’s new tax policies for border Mexican businesses.


If you think that the US is better off with drug cartels operating here, then I guess we have some differences, but I doubt if that is what you meant.


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project had a name


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