Migrants come ashore on Sunny Isles Beach
MIAMI - At least four Chinese migrants were in custody after a group of people came ashore Monday morning on Sunny Isles Beach, authorities said.
Police said the group of about 15 was dropped off shortly before 11:30 a.m. before many of them came out of the surf around 167th Street.
There were conflicting reports from local and federal officials about the exact number of people involved in the suspected smuggling operation.
Investigators said they were unsure how many people fled from the scene before law enforcement authorities arrived in the area.
Officers searched the sand and behind buildings on the beach to try and locate the migrants but were unable to find them.
Federal officials from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security were looking into the incident but have not released details about it.
Police have not said where the migrants came from.
It was an unusual site for residents and visitors alike who were in the area.
"We came here for a Mother's Day weekend and today we came out of the hotel and while in the hotel we saw cops and sirens and we were a little confused," said Diego Queveeo. "When we came outside we saw a bunch of Asian people being stopped and apparently they said they came on a boat (and) there were 10 to 15 of them. And they caught 4 or 5. That's all I know."
Queveeo also told CBS News Miami's Peter D'Oench that be believes other migrants went inside the hotel.
"Some of them ran off," he said. "The only ones I saw inside the hotel, they were going in one direction and they ran out the opposite way. One hotel manager told police which way they were going."