Drug Boat Suspects Appear in Federal Court

The Department of Homeland Security released more information Monday about the people busted near a drug smuggling boat.

It incident happened north of Refugio Beach last Friday.

Authorities arrested 18 men after their 30-foot, double-engine smuggling boat washed up with more than 2,000 pounds of marijuana on board.

Seven of those men appeared in federal court in Los Angeles on Monday.

The men have been identified as Alejandro Cortez-Garcia, Carlos Cortez-De La Cruz, Manton Pine, Josh Jimenez, Juan Carlos Godinez, Jesus Lopez and Rafael Garcia.

They are charged with aiding and abetting a major drug smuggling operation in California.

A newly released affidavit reveals how those seven men came from Mexico, and some of them — or their families — were threatened before the trip to the United States.

The arraignment for all seven suspects has been set for Oct. 7 in federal court.