LOS ANGELES _ Border Patrol agents took eight people into custody Thursday morning and were seeking others who may have come ashore after a panga-style boat landed in Laguna Beach.
Six of those being detained are believed to be immigrants smuggled into the country illegally, and two are suspected of assisting in the smuggling operation, said Ralph DeSio, a spokesman with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Border Patrol agents and Laguna Beach police were dispatched about 7 a.m. to West Street Beach after reports of the boat's landing. Officials said they found two "takeaway" vehicles in the area; they believed the two suspected smugglers were the vehicles' drivers and that they had planned to transport the boat's passengers upon their arrival.
Video recorded from a nearby residence overlooking the beach showed 13 people dressed in dark clothing running from the boat. Border Patrol agents are searching for additional passengers they think were on the boat, DeSio said.
The six suspected immigrants are being taken to a Border Patrol station for processing. DeSio said their nationalities were not yet known.
