Thread: DPS lauds immigration crackdown effort by 1 of its units

DPS lauds immigration crackdown effort by 1 of its units
Jun 17, 4:19 AM EDT

PHOENIX (AP) -- The Arizona Department of Public Safety says a specialized unit has discovered 40 drophouses in the past six months, arresting 99 suspected human smugglers and nearly 500 suspected illegal immigrants in the process.

The Illegal Immigration Prevention and Apprehension Co-op Team's chief mission of targeting violent crimes associated with human smuggling and to dismantle the syndicates or rings behind those crimes.

Sgt. Chuck Herrera, an IIMPACT detective, said suspected smugglers who are caught often are also held on suspicion of kidnapping, rape, extortion, assault and other serious crimes.

State lawmakers approved about $10 million in funding to create IIMPACT in 2006.

The money, spread out over a number of years, is designed to give the agencies involved - DPS, Phoenix police, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement - a chance to start working together.

Seven Arizona agencies, including the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, DPS and Phoenix police, have deputies and officers who have received ICE training and more departments are clamoring to have their agents included.

The Sheriff's Office claims to making 21 drophouse discoveries since September along with 148 suspected smugglers and 840 suspected illegal immigrants arrested since March 2006. Its officials said they welcome the help from the IIMPACT program.

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