Thread: AZ-25 immigrants found in Phoenix drop house

25 immigrants found in Phoenix drop house





May 28, 2009 1:14 AM ET

PHOENIX (AP) - The Arizona Department of Public Safety says it has busted a drop house in west Phoenix.

DPS Officer Robert Bailey says 25 suspected illegal immigrants in the home are now safe, although some of them had burns and blisters on their feet from walking in the desert for days.

Bailey says some of the immigrants are being treated at a local hospital, and all eventually will be in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Four suspected smugglers were arrested at the house and will be booked into Maricopa County jail on felony human smuggling charges.

Bailey says the smugglers were demanding $2,200 from family members of the immigrants for their safe return. The immigrants, from Mexico and Guatamala, were held for between 24 and 48 hours.


http://www.kswt.com/Global/story.asp?S= ... enu613_2_5

5 accused of smuggling at suspected drophouse
by Maria Polletta - May. 28, 2009 10:22 AM

Five people were booked on suspicion of human smuggling after 20 suspected undocumented immigrants, many of them dehydrated and riddled with foot sores, were pulled from a Phoenix drophouse Wednesday night.

A Department of Public Safety SWAT team rescued the men from the home, near 59th and Campbell avenues, just after 8:30 p.m, according to DPS spokesman Bart Graves. Officials also recovered a handgun from the home.

The Mexican and Guatemalan immigrants, who'd been held for between 24 and 48 hours at the home, were turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. One required medical treatment first, authorities said.
The suspected smugglers had apparently demanded $2,200 from the immigrants' family members for their safe return, according to Graves. They had also reinforced the windows of the drophouse but Graves did not specify how.

It was unclear whether the suspected smugglers were related or if the house belonged to them, Graves said.

The case is being investigated by IIMPACT, an Illegal Immigration Prevention Apprehension Co-op Team composed of Phoenix police, DPS, and ICE officials.

As of Thursday morning, no names had been released.


http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoe ... se-ON.html

Man accused of smuggling following raid on drophouse
by Maria Polletta - May. 28, 2009 07:00 PM

A man was arrested and booked on suspicion of human smuggling after 24 suspected undocumented immigrants, many of them dehydrated and riddled with foot sores, were removed from a Phoenix drophouse Wednesday night.

Authorities initially reported five people were arrested, but that figure was adjusted later.

Manuel Gonzalez-Chavez, 33, of Mexico, was booked into Maricopa County Fourth Avenue Jail after a Department of Public Safety SWAT team rescued the men from the home, near 59th and Campbell avenues, at about 8:20 p.m, according to DPS spokesman Bart Graves.
Some of the men had previously been deported as felons, and all have a criminal history, authorities said.

Officials also recovered a handgun from the home, which they believe was used to threaten and intimidate the held men.

The Mexican and Guatemalan immigrants, who'd been held for between 24 and 48 hours at the home, were turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. One man was taken to the hospital for injuries sustained on the way into the United States, authorities said.

The suspected smuggler had apparently demanded $2,200 from the immigrants' family members for their safe return, according to Graves. They had also reinforced the windows of the drophouse but Graves did not specify how.

The case is being investigated by IIMPACT, an Illegal Immigration Prevention Apprehension Co-op Team composed of Phoenix police, DPS, and ICE officials.

http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoe ... se-ON.html