SAN DIEGO -- There are no visible borders, fence or armed guards; just an unforgiving and endless ocean.

Authorities said it is a perfect place for criminals to go unseen. They come from all different backgrounds, from poverty or power and some even come from American law enforcement.

"This is organized crime," said Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent Mike Carney.

Carney is working closely with the Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, the military and the Department of Homeland Security to beef up security at sea.

However, the problem is getting bigger.

Forty-four undocumented immigrants were taken off boats last year. So far in 2008, there have been 64.

Law enforcement has come across 15 smuggling boats since October, and the year is not over yet.

"We're likely to double the numbers from last year," said Carney.

Still, many wonder how many are authorities not catching.

"It's hard to say, I mean, it's hard to say what we're missing," said Carney.

The 10News I-Team wanted to find out and headed south, straight to where their sources said it all starts.

Popotla, Mexico, is a small fishing village south of Tijuana. The fishermen said they see it, but they won't talk about it. They said it's just too dangerous.

10News' source, Carlos Ramo, said, "Everybody sees something but nobody is going to say anything if you know what's good for you ...."

The I-Team figured some of the fishermen were involved.

"The organized crime is using the regular fisherman; that's what it is," said Ramo.

Ramo said he is not a part of this underground smuggling operation, but he was, at one time, given the chance.

"You make your choices. I never did. I won't do it. I am too old now," said Ramo.

Ramo believes it is the cartel that comes to places like Popotla to recruit fishermen to drive the boats.

The economy in the area is tough and many of the men are making very little money.

One boatload of immigrants or drugs could pay what they usually take home in six months or even a year.

Ramo said, "They can make $5,000 to $10,000 in one day or stay here and lose everything."

Ramo pointed out that it is not just the weathered fishermen cartels are recruiting.

He said the cartels hit the clubs late at night to look for young people willing to take a chance. It is these inexperienced men that are often driving the boats we see washed up on shore, or found floating for days miles off course.

But if the men do make it into U.S. waters, Ramo said they are supported from land. They are constantly in contact via a Nextel device, dodging Coast Guard or the military and pinpointing the perfect place to dump.

"Right now the technology is really easy. There is no way for Coast Guard to track radio calls," said Ramo.

10News wondered how much of this ICE is aware of. Carney confirms what the I-Team was told by its source.

"We think they switch it up, depending on what their intelligence is telling. Them they are smart," said Carney.

Something the agency has not heard is who else is involved.

The I-Team has learned that Americans, possibly former Coast Guard personnel, or other Department of Homeland Security employees could be part of the smugglers' organizations.

10News' Kerstin Lindquist asked Carney, "You, in your investigations, have never come across someone on the inside helping these people get across?"

Carney replied, "I'm not aware of any prior incident of corruption that has assisted boat smugglers."

Carney doesn't entirely doubt it. He said easy money is tempting, even to the good guys.

"There's a lot of money involved in smuggling and there are a small percentage of officials that are going to go for that," said Carney.

In the desert or through the tunnels, it is getting harder to break through land barriers.

But in the ocean waters, the battle is just beginning.