Border Patrol agents nabbed two boats carrying 18 illegal immigrants along the San Diego coastline.
The first boat, with 15 Mexican Nationals onboard, was spotted at 4 a.m. Tuesday near Cardiff-By-the-Sea in the North County. Agents found the immigrants on the beach after the boat had already departed.
An open-topped panga boat, traveling south near Torrey Pines, was also spotted. Three people onboard were taken into custody. The second boat was involved in smuggling the group of 15 on the first boat, agents said.
In a separate incident, another vessel was intercepted off Imperial Beach. Agents say they found a 55-year-old male U.S. citizen was trying to smuggle a female illegal immigrant into the U.S. from Mexico, agents said.
All those arrested are now in federal custody.
