Thread: Joe Arpaio: Crime sweep a success so far

Joe Arpaio: Crime sweep a success so far

by Jolie McCullough - Mar. 19, 2010 09:16 PM
The Arizona Republic

Sixty-four arrests were made and more than 900 pounds of marijuana were seized in Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's latest crime sweep of the Valley before deputies hit the roads again on Friday.

Of the people arrested, 47 were determined by deputies to be in the country illegally, Arpaio said in a press conference Friday afternoon.

Twenty-seven of the suspected illegal immigrants were booked on allegations of violating Arizona's human smuggling law. The other 20 were not suspected of crimes other than being in the country illegally and were turned over to U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Arpaio said.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio said that his deputies were not arresting people without reason, and that the majority of the people arrested had committed felonies.

Deputies also found a suspected drophouse in Mesa early Friday morning, where authorities took into custody eight people suspected to be in the country illegally and confiscated about 700 pounds of marijuana, Arpaio said. Three of the people were booked into jail on suspicion of drug trafficking, and the other five were turned over to ICE.

That drug seizure brought the total in the operation to over 900 pounds of marijuana and 4½ pounds of methamphetamines, authorities said.

"Last night was successful, as far as I'm concerned," Arpaio said.

By 9 p.m. in the operation's second day, deputies had arrested 39 more people, 25 of whom were suspected of being in the country illegally. Sheriff's officials said a total of 94 people were arrested in the two-day sweep, including 64 suspected illegal immigrants.

The crime sweep, which started Thursday, is a two-day operation that has focused on human and drug smugglers.

Four hundred personnel have been involved in the operation, including helicopters to search for people who have fled the scene.

This is the sheriff's 14th operation, and he said a 15th will be coming soon.

Arpaio did not give details on the time or place of the next crime sweep, but he said it would be in Phoenix.

www.azcentral.com

64 of 94 = 68%

Sheriff's officials said a total of 94 people were arrested in the two-day sweep, including 64 suspected illegal immigrants.