Drop house busted in Mesa
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Gary Grado, Tribune January 20, 2009 - 2:51PM


Mesa police discovered a drop house for suspected illegal immigrants on Saturday.

According to a police report, Mesa police got a call of a fight at 639 S. Elm and that the home was a drop house and people were being held against their will.

A drop house is a location where illegal immigrants who have paid to be smuggled into the U.S. stage before the next leg of their trip to their final destination.

Often times, smuggling groups will hold the people against their will and demand more money for the trip.

People were running from the home as police arrived, but officers were able to find out that illegal immigrants were being held inside.

Police hostage negotiators were called in and they were able to talk the group into coming outside.

Twenty nine people were detained and turned over to agents with the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

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