U.S. Coast Guard officials intercepted a boat carrying 21 migrants off the coast of Newport Beach, authorities said Friday, Nov. 15.

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Narwhal spotted the 34-foot boat Thursday evening outside Newport Harbor, and determined it was “operating suspiciously,” according to the Coast Guard.

Coast Guard officials boarded the vessel around 7 p.m. and found 21 migrants aboard and took them into custody. They were later transferred to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.

According to the Coast Guard, 18 of the migrants were Mexican, two were of Uzbek nationality and one was Russian.

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