SAN DIEGO - Federal authorities today announced a stepped-up enforcement effort targeting human smuggling at the California-Mexico border, with particular attention on Lindbergh Field.

Authorities will focus on the illicit transport of undocumented people into the San Diego area - notably, through its bayside international airport - and into Imperial County, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials reported.

Teams of detectives, uniformed Border Patrol agents and other government personnel assigned to the program have taken up "high profile" posts in the North Harbor Drive air-travel hub, according to ICE.

Their three major goals are to curb human smuggling through the facility, to arrest perpetrators and to gather intelligence about methods employed by underground networks that carry out the crime, officials said.

Combatting the "violent criminal enterprise" is a top priority for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said Asa Hutchison, DHS undersecretary for border and transportation security.

"We are committed to using the wealth of resources and expertise at our disposal - not only to disrupt the current activity, but to identify and dismantle the criminal organizations behind it," he added. CNS-10-12-2004 14:05