SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – Federal agents on Thursday swarmed a boatyard at Shelter Island, but there was no immediate word on why the operation was carried out or if any arrests were made.
“We saw a bunch of unmarked police cars with people coming out saying federal agents, federal officers,” said a woman who works next to Nielsen Beaumont.
Several passersby told ABC 10News they saw a large law enforcement presence in and around the boating business on 2420 Shelter Island Drive on Thursday morning.
It is unclear if a search warrant was executed.
A man who has a friend employed at Nielsen Beaumont said, “He went to work, and they came in there looking like SWAT. They ended up checking IDs … but he said they're going to be a few hours. And then it turned into a couple more hours. And then they said just go home.”
According to the company website, Nielsen Beaumont specializes in service work for both civilian and government boats, as well as repo and vessel arrest services.
"I know they have a couple government contracts, but that's it. I don't really know anything about them at all,” one woman said.
ABC 10News reached out to multiple government agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, NCIS, and the FBI regarding what unfolded Thursday morning.
An NCIS official said, “Out of respect for the investigative process, NCIS does not comment on or confirm details relating to ongoing investigations.”
A U.S. Attorney’s Office representative said the agency did not have any comment on the matter.
"I can't wait to find out what happened,” one woman said.
