SAN DIEGO—Building off of its current momentum, the U.S. Border Patrol will continue to underscore Otay Mountain as its top enforcement priority in the San Diego Sector.

In mid-October, the Border Patrol launched an enforcement strategy, hailed as Task Force Otay, and focused on targeting criminal organizations that exploit the vast network of human smuggling routes on Otay Mountain.

Since the onset of Task Force Otay on October 16, Border Patrol agents arrested more than 1,000 people who illegally entered the U.S. on Otay Mountain.  In addition, 39 of those individuals arrested faced federal prosecution for criminal smuggling or immigration violations.

The key objective of the operation is to adversely impact smuggling activity, which will increase the safety of those entering the country near Otay Mountain—an area well-known for its treacherous terrain and rampant bandit activity.

“Through Task Force Otay, the Border Patrol will maintain a zero tolerance approach to human smuggling on Otay Mountain,” said Daniel Parks, Patrol Agent in Charge of the Chula Vista Border Patrol Station.  “The success of this strategy is dependent on our partnerships with U.S. prosecutors and Mexican Federal Police.”

To prevent the illicit smuggling of humans, drugs, and other contraband, the U.S. Border Patrol maintains a high level of vigilance on corridors of egress away from our Nation’s borders.  To report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol, contact San Diego Sector at (619) 498-9900.