KCOY Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo - NewsDeputies Investigating Discovery Of Another Panga Boat in Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif - Another panga boat has been found along the coast of Santa Barbara County Wednesday morning. The boat was abandoned and could have been used to smuggle drugs, said deputies.

State Parks employees found the boat on the shore south of Refugio Beach. It was empty but deputies say there was evidence that the boat was used to smuggle. The 30-foot panga boat has been turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Panga boats are commonly used by fishermen in developing countries and have become increasingly popular with smugglers who are transporting, illegal immigrants, narcotics, or other contraband from Mexico to the United States, said deputies.

Although relatively small in size (typically 19-30 feet), panga boats are considered very sea worthy and have been known to make illegal runs from Mexico to as far north as the San Francisco Bay Area.

The Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office is asking the public to be aware of the growing problem and to please contact law enforcement if they see any suspicious boats in the ocean off Santa Barbara County. They can also call the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) toll-free 24-hour tip line at 1-866-DHS-2ICE.