Coral Gables, a high-end area of South Florida, is witnessing a rise in Chinese migrant interceptions, attributed to its proximity to international waterways. Data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection indicates a significant increase in apprehensions of Chinese nationals, from 406 in 2020 to 723 in 2024, reflecting a 78% surge. Local law enforcement has been alerted to suspicious activities, including the discovery of over 20 migrants in a U-Haul van, linked to human smuggling operations, prompting investigations into these networks.
"Coral Gables is adjacent to international waterways, and with Cuba just 90 miles from the coastline of Florida, it just makes sense," Brown said.
"We do believe these individuals were brought here by the water," the chief said. "They were probably dropped off, we're assuming somewhere around the southern end of Coral Gables, and approached on foot to the van where they were loaded."
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