IIMPACT detectives bust 40 drop houses in 6 months
June 16th, 2008 @ 5:53pm
by Colton Shone/KTAR

IIMPACT, an organization to stop criminals from profiting off illegal immigration, found two more drop houses in Phoenix last week.

One drop house was discovered near 49th Avenue and Indian School Road and another at 8th and Oak streets.

"We got a call from Phoenix PD that one individual was holding another individual in the home against their will," said DPS Sgt. Chuck Herrera. "PD responded to the scene and found out there were a bunch of individuals being held in the house."

Herrera said IIMPACT (Illegal Immigration Prevention & Apprehension Co-op Team) started in December.

"The program has been pretty successful. We've had 40 drop houses since we started and I think 489 people have been returned back [to Mexico]," he said.

In last week's incidents, Herrera said more than 25 people were turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and eight coyotes, including the first-ever female smuggler, were booked in jail.





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