Miami yacht captain accused of smuggling Colombian national from the Bahamas

Federal agents pulled over a yacht off Miami Beach they say was smuggling a woman from Colombia by way of the Bahamas.

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U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations agents stopped the 64-foot 2013 Prestige 620 Flyer, named the Mi Amore, around 10:45 a.m. Sunday about one nautical mile east of Government Cut, according to a Homeland Security Investigations complaint filed in federal court on Monday.

The vessel was crewed by captain Mauricio Alvarez and mate Domenico Giovani Laurenti, the complaint states. The complaint does not list their ages.

The passengers were a man named Juan Felipe Morales, who is a Colombian national with legal permanent status in the U.S., and a woman who was not named who is also a Colombian national who did not have documentation saying she is allowed to enter the country, the complaint states.

Agents brought Alvarez, Laurenti and Morales to Coast Guard Station Miami for questioning. Alvarez told them that Morales hired him through a contractor to sail to Bimini in the Bahamas to pick up him and the woman and bring them back to Miami. The woman was taken aboard a U.S. Coast Guard cutter.

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Laurenti told agents he was hired by Alvarez, according to the complaint. Agents also found a 1911A1 Tanker .45 caliber pistol and ammunition in Laurenti’s bag. He told agents he knew he had the weapon when he left the U.S. and brought it back to Miami without declaring it to Customs, as is legally required, according to the complaint.

Alvarez, Laurenti and Morales face a charge of encouraging and inducing “an alien” to enter and reside in the United States. Laurenti also faces a charge of illegally bringing a firearm and ammunition into the U.S., according to the complaint.

It was not clear Monday if they were in custody, and information on their legal counsel was not immediately available.

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