Sixteen U.S. Marines have been arrested on human smuggling and drug-related offenses at a base in Southern California, military officials said.

The Marines were taken into custody at Camp Pendleton on Thursday morning during battalion formation. Eight other Marines were taken aside for questioning about their possible involvement in the drug offenses as well, the Marine Corps said in a statement. Officials did not give further details about the allegations.

The arrests were a public display for the entire unit to see, 1st Lt. Cameron Edinburgh, a division spokesman, told The Los Angeles Times .