The U.S. Coast Guard intercepted a “suspicious vessel” near Malibu and detained 23 people allegedly trying to enter the country illegally, authorities said Tuesday.
The suspects were taken into custody Monday, according to the Coast Guard.
“While on a routine patrol, the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Blackfin detected a suspicious vessel operating off the Malibu coast,” a Coast Guard news release said.
Air and sea support personnel sent to the scene “detained 23 undocumented non-citizens attempting to enter the country illegally,” the Coast Guard said.
“These overloaded vessels are inherently dangerous, and our extensive partnerships in the area are essential to keeping boaters safe and enforcing the nation’s customs and immigration laws,” said Cmdr. Keith Robinson, the chief of law enforcement at Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach.
