Local News in Brief : Costa Mesa : 16 Suspected of Being Illegal Aliens Seized
Agents from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service took 16 people suspected of being illegal aliens into custody Wednesday during a sweep of day-labor pickup points in Costa Mesa, police said.
Police Lt. Dennis Cost said INS agents converged on Lions Park at 18th Street and Park Avenue about 7:40 a.m. and arrested nine suspected of being illegal aliens. An estimated 35 to 40 others ran away before they could be apprehended, he said.
Cost said the agents then went to Vista Center, a shopping center about four blocks away on 19th Street, where they arrested seven others.
He said Costa Mesa police were advised of the raids beforehand and were on the scene. Cost said they did not participate in the arrests.
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