Ariz. deputies make more human smuggling arrests
Updated: May 18, 2013 6:08 PM CDT



Vehicle used in smuggling

Sheriff's deputies have made another round of arrests as part of an effort to crackdown on human smuggling.
Deputies say 10 Mexican nationals were arrested after the van they were traveling in was stopped Thursday north of the Valley. About two hours later, five more people were arrested during a separate traffic stop.

On Friday, seven people from Mexico, Ecuador, Guatemala and Honduras were arrested.

Deputies say the people paid between $2,500 and $13,000 to be smuggled into the country. They were headed to various states, including Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Delaware and Kansas.

Some were booked into Maricopa County's 4th Avenue jail. Others were turned over to federal authorities.
The sheriff's office says it has arrested 78 people on human smuggling charges in the last several weeks.

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