Eleven People Arrested After Panga Boat Washed Up Near Santa Bar - KCOY Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo - News

Eleven People Arrested After Panga Boat Washed Up Near Santa Barbara

GAVIOTA COAST, Calif. -- Santa Barbara County Sheriff's deputies said just after midnight the Santa Barbara County Emergency Communications Center got a call from the Coast Guard saying they were tracking a Panga Boat. Deputies said a total of 11 people were tracked down and arrested, and 3,000 lbs of marijuana was seized.

The boat was being tracked between the San Nicholas Island and Santa Barbara coastline.

Several agencies including the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, Santa Barbara Police Department, Homeland Security, State Parks, Coast Guard and Border Protection were assisting in the incident.

Multiple agencies searched the coastline and found 8 people hiding in the bushes. Officers arrested all 8 people, five of them said they were from Southern California. The other three people arrested told police they were from Mexico.

Officers said when they checked out the Panga Boat they found 3,000 lbs of packaged marijuana.

The investigation is being turned over to Homeland Security Investigation special agents.

Later this morning around 8:00 a.m. Sheriff's Office helicopters spotted three more suspects walking along the beach. Those three people were also taken into custody. The three additional suspects will also be turned over to HSI special agents.