Deputy Discovers Suspected Drop House On His Block

[controlledImmigration]

Deputy Discovers Suspected Drop House On His Block

POSTED: 8:49 pm PDT September 21, 2007
UPDATED: 12:03 pm PDT September 22, 2007

PHOENIX -- Illegal immigrants fleeing a suspected drop house landed on the doorstep of an off-duty deputy injured and bleeding in their attempts to escape from their smugglers, Phoenix police said.

# VIDEO: 12-Year-Old Coyote Sought In Suspected Drop House Incident
http://www.kpho.com/video/14179583/index.html

"About 15 people started running to my house bleeding and asking for help in Spanish," said Oscar Navarro.

Navarro said he lives just two houses over from the suspected drop house in a west Phoenix neighborhood.

He said he saw some of the people bleeding from the head.

"So my reaction was to get help right away and call the fire department and the police department in case the coyotes came around the corner shooting," he said.

Fearing for his own life, Navarro said he tried to calm the men down. Instead, most of them took of running.

When officers arrived Friday evening, the search began for five coyotes and 15 undocumented immigrants.

"They told us they were brought from Nogales," Phoenix police detective Stacie Derge said.

"Some were being held at gunpoint that had already paid and others who had not paid were being held and handcuffed," according to Derge.

One of the smugglers is only 12-years-old, according to authorities.

Police arrested at least six people.

Two people covered their faces as police escorted them out of the house.

Navarro said the suspected drop house in his own neighborhood near 94th Avenue and McDowell Road came as a shock.

"I've never seen any major traffic or movement whatsoever and I've been here a little over a year," he said.

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http://www.kpho.com/news/14178326/detail.html

[controlledImmigration]

Police discover third drophouse in four-day span

Erin Zlomek
The Arizona Republic
Sept. 23, 2007 12:00 AM

Phoenix police discovered an illegal immigrant drophouse Saturday, the second found in less than 24 hours and the third in four days.

Drophouse escapees notified Phoenix police about 11:30 a.m. Saturday that smugglers known as coyotes near 13th and Clarendon avenues were holding people inside the house at gunpoint.

Police found three adult male coyotes holding six adult men and two adult women at the house in the 1300 block of West Clarendon Avenue.

Officers also found two handguns and a semi-automatic rifle. Police said the house was in poor condition, but none of the people being held was injured. Those being held said they had arrived at the house about four hours before the officers' arrival. Police found another immigrant drophouse about 5 p.m. Friday in the area of 95th Avenue and McDowell Road

A homeowner in the area told police that three Hispanic males came to his door seeking help after they had escaped from the house.

When officers arrived at the scene the homeowner told them he saw 15 to 17 Hispanic males running southwest in the neighborhood, Phoenix Police Detective Stacie Derge said. Police apprehended six of the men, who told them as many as five smugglers were holding them and others in the house. One smuggler was reported to be a 12-year-old boy, she said.

On Wednesday, three suspected human smugglers were arrested and 18 undocumented immigrants were detained by the Arizona Department of Public Safety and Phoenix police after a three-month investigation of a drophouse in the 4500 block of West Earll Drive.

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepubli ... e0923.html