Thread: AZ-DPS arrests 15 suspected illegal immigrants in Mesa

DPS arrests 15 suspected illegal immigrants in Mesa
by Nicole Ethier - Mar. 17, 2009 02:21 PM

Arizona Department of Public Safety officers arrested 15 suspected illegal immigrants at a Mesa apartment Monday after the driver of an SUV being pulled over behaved suspiciously, authorities said.

DPS officers stopped a Ford Expedition for unsafe lane usage on westbound Interstate 10 near Chandler Boulevard around 6:50 a.m., according to a press release.

The vehicle did not come to an immediate stop once it was apparent the driver recognized the marked DPS patrol vehicle and instead drove for some distance before coming to a halt, the release states.

The officer approached the vehicle and noticed the driver attempting to conceal his face under a hood while several individuals were lying down on the second and third-row passenger seats.

The officer issued a written warning and released the driver.

However, because of the driver's suspicious behavior and the location of the other occupants, the Illegal Immigration Prevention and Apprehension Co-op Team investigated further, DPS said.

Additional DPS units and IIMPACT detectives monitored the Expedition following the traffic stop and followed it to an apartment complex near Broadway Road and Stapley Drive, where the driver led the passengers to an apartment.

Mesa Police assisted with a "check welfare procedure" and found 12 people inside the apartment, including the driver, all of whom were identified by IIMPACT detectives as illegal immigrants from Mexico and Guatemala.

Interviews with the subjects led detectives to check another apartment in the same complex, where three other suspected illegal immigrants were found.

All 15 people were detained, interviewed and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... rrest.html

Is that suspicious enough behavior or are they going to cry racial profiling??