A valiant effort was made late last Wednesday by two daring would-be Mexican immigrants. The two, suited up in full wetsuits, made an assault on Imperial Beach, just a few kilometres south of San Diego with the aid of dive scooters. Until a US Customs and Border Protection helicopter crew spotted them.

San Diego sector Border Patrol spokesman Michael Jimenez explained that “These devices can be used to come north along the coastline and steer into shore … where they can meet someone who will pick them up in a vehicle and further their entrance into the United States.”

Jimenez added that agents arrested the two men as they tried to hide in the sand, and took them to a local Border Patrol station for processing. It is not known whether the dive scooters were used in the burying process.

The recent tightening of security along the Californian coast has lead immigrants to search for more creative methods of avoiding detection. Another method that has already failed was the use of a surfboard to “slip a marijuana load” into California.

Should have used a long board – much more buoyant.

[Source: Reuters]