Thread: Chandler woman accused of aiding drug smugglers

Chandler woman accused of aiding drug smugglers

by Kelsey Pfeffer - Sept. 26, 2011 05:48 PM
The Arizona Republic-12 News-Breaking News Team

Two vehicles carrying at least six illegal immigrants and approximately 300 pounds of marijuana were pulled over by authorities in Casa Grande on Monday, officials said.

An SUV with several bundles of marijuana was pulled over on Highway 84 near the junction of Interstate 8, Pinal County Sheriff's Office spokesman Elias Johnson said. The two suspects in that vehicle fled into the desert after being pulled over by a deputy.

Carol Rivera, a Chandler woman, was driving a sedan that was closely tailing the SUV. Authorities suspected that the vehicles were involved in a smuggling operation, Johnson said.

There were eight passengers in Rivera's car, and six of them were illegal immigrants from Mexico, the spokesman said.

Rivera and the six passengers were arrested and turned over to the U.S. Border Patrol to face human smuggling charges, Johnson said.

"It's very disheartening when we see someone not only from our own country but also our community actively engaged in human and drug smuggling," Sheriff Paul Babeu said.
http://www.azcentral.com/community/chan ... z1Z7ti0ppN

I live about 6 miles from this intersection of Highway 84 & I-8. It is no where near Casa Grande but instead in the main corridor of the drug smuggling and human smuggling in the Vecko Valley area and the Stanfield area. It is BLM land and is where the Arizona DPS joint task force had a shootout with smugglers about 2 weeks ago and arrested 6 suspected smugglers and recovered drugs. They run many joint anti-smuggling operations in this area, so much that they could establish a permanent command center there and stay busy enough to justify its cost.