Human Smuggling Boat Busted Off Seal Beach

The Orange County Sheriff's Department's Harbor Patrol detained a captain and his passengers after the alleged human smuggling boat was intercepted off Seal Beach just before midnight on Wednesday.

After entering a restricted area in the harbor, the 30-foot fishing boat was stopped by the Naval Weapons Station. The boat's 46-year-old captain, who is a U.S. citizen, and nine Mexican nationals, including one woman and eight men, were arrested once Harbor Patrol responded.

Harbor Patrol was tipped off around 11:45pm on Wednesday that a smuggling boat would be off the coast.

Border Patrol was also alerted of the situation. The captain has been arrested on suspicion of alien smuggling.