Border Patrol agents took nine people into custody Thursday morning and were seeking others who may have come ashore after a panga-style boat landed in Laguna Beach.

Seven of those 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.



For the record: A previous version of this article said Border Patrol agents apprehended 10 people, one of whom was suspected of human smuggling. The agency arrested nine people, and two are suspected smugglers.

Border Patrol agents and Laguna Beach police were dispatched about 7 a.m. to West Street Beach after a citizen reported the boat’s landing. Officials said they seized two “takeaway” vehicles found in the area. Three of those believed to be smuggled immigrants were Chinese nationals, and four were Mexican nationals. One of the suspected smugglers is a U.S. citizen, and the other had overstayed his visa, DeSio said.