Concerns grow over drop house violence in Valley


Posted: 06/03/2010
By: Eric English By: Eric English

PHOENIX - Law enforcement officers say the extreme heat in the desert forces many people looking to enter the country illegally to put their lives in the hands of human smugglers.

Captain Fred Zumbo works with IIMPACT, or Illegal Immigration Prevention Apprehension Co-op Team. It's made up of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. He said human smugglers often demand more money and hold people hostage in drop houses during the summer.

He says his agency works to detect drop houses early and shut down human traffickers before they turn violent.

"They don't really care about delivering people to a destination. They just care about getting the money, and they are going to dump them in the streets somewhere."

Zumbo said officers see as many as 300 drop houses in Arizona every year.

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