Comments are being left at the source link.
~~

Police Battle Drop House Upsurge
March 9th, 2008 @ 8:52pm
by Associated Press

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- In the past four days, police agencies have been called to five drop houses and found a total of 174 illegal immigrants.

Most of the human smugglers who were holding them against their will still have not been found, police said.

Law enforcement officials cite the milder weather as the chief reason for the uptick. Officers said they always see an influx of illegal immigrants in the spring.

In the most recent case, authorities said 80 people were inside a suspected drop house near 125th Avenue and Indian School Road.

Neighbors said they don't think they had been there long because they saw moving vans there just a few days ago.

One neighbor said the people inside may not have had any running water or electricity because she said she hasn't seen any lights on.

"We came home last night and the garage was up and it was just filled with them," said Elizabeth Finnemore. "I couldn't believe it."

Avondale police got a call Saturday evening about suspicious activity at the house. As officers pulled in, they stopped a car leaving the home and found 13 people inside.

When they entered the home, they found another 67 people inside the house, police said.

On Saturday morning, police responded to a shooting near 59th Avenue and Broadway.

As officers arrived, they found eight illegal immigrants being held by three smugglers. One of the immigrants tried to climb out a second-story bathroom window and was shot in the chest by one of the smugglers, police said.

The smugglers fled, but officers assisted the wounded man who was rushed to a local hospital in critical but stable condition.


http://news.ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=757570