Sheriff's crime sweep nets 700 pounds of pot


by Jason Pacini, Karen Schmidt and Mary Shinn - Jan. 29, 2011 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic/ 12 News Breaking News Team
.

Maricopa County Sheriff's Office's crime suppression sweep uncovered 700 pounds of marijuana being carried in backpacks by undocumented immigrants in the southwest desert area of Maricopa County, Sheriff Joe Arpaio said Friday.

The two-day crime sweep has also led to a total of 61 arrests by Friday evening on accusations ranging from human smuggling and transporting marijuana to failure to provide identification.

Thursday patrol deputies discovered a drophouse on the west side of Phoenix, said Maricopa County sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Jesse Spurgin. One of the suspects taken into custody was a woman who has been deported 17 times in the course of eight years, he said. She is suspected of holding three other undocumented immigrants in the house. Deputies said they also found 66 grams of methamphetamine in the house.

A spike in human-smuggling arrests in January by patrol deputies prompted the Sheriff's Office to launch the 18th crime-suppression operation, Arpaio said. Undercover surveillance led to the arrest of 56 suspected illegal immigrants in the days leading up to the sweep.

The office's newly formed Illegal Immigration Enforcement Posse joined in the sweep and 200 deputies and volunteers targeted human smuggling, drophouses and illegal drugs across the Phoenix area.

Eight other arrests were made in connection with drug possession, open warrants and driving on a suspended license, according to the Sheriff's Office.

www.azcentral.com