TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Tampa man was arrested in connection with a human smuggling attempt in South Florida, according to deputies.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said two men were arrested Monday at a boat ramp in Marathon after they were caught trying to travel to Cuba.
The men — Victor Manuel Rios Castillo, 29, of West Palm Beach and Jorge Luis Fernandez Rodriguez, 53, of Tampa — were accused of trying to go to the island nation and smuggle Cuban migrants back to the U.S.
Deputies said they initially got a call about a truck towing a boat that was blocking traffic around 4:48 p.m. Monday. Deputies later found the damaged vehicle at Quay Boat Ramp.
“The cabin-style cruiser had three 55-gallon drums of fuel on board as well as a fuel transfer pump, satellite phone, a GPS with waypoints to Cuba, multiple gallons of marine oil, a large amount of water and soft drinks and numerous life jackets,” the sheriff’s office said.
Rios Castillo admitted that he was planning to go to Cuba for a human smuggling operation while Fernandez Rodriguez admitted that he knew he was towing the fuel drums, according to deputies.
Authorities charged Rios Castillo with attempted human smuggling. Fernandez Rodriguez was charged with transporting fuel illegally.
