Air and Marine Operations agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Coast Guard intercepted a vessel suspected of human smuggling near Angelfish Creek, in the Florida Keys area of South Florida.
Authorities detained 23 people, including an alleged smuggler, CBP reported in a statement.
The operation took place on September 15 after a surveillance aircraft detected a target off the Florida coast during a patrol for Operation Vigilant Sentry, according to the agency.
Agents from the Miami and Key Largo marine units coordinated the interception with the Coast Guard. The 27-foot vessel was stopped without incident.
Authorities identified a Cuban national as the alleged smuggler and 22 other individuals of various nationalities—eight Ecuadorians, 13 Chinese nationals, and one Dominican—according to the official statement.
