Thread: Phoenix PD: Immigrants escape, overpower human smuggler

Phoenix PD: Immigrants escape, overpower human smuggler
Reported by: ABC15.com staff, wire reports
Last Update: 4:54 pm
Phoenix police officers are working with the Illegal Immigration Prevention & Apprehension Co-op Team (IIMPACT) to investigate two west Phoenix drop houses that were discovered late last week.

On Thursday, police investigated a report that three people knocked on a woman's door in west Phoenix and asked to use the phone. Police said they told the woman they had escaped from a home near 51st Avenue and Thomas Road, where they had been held against their will.

Police officers located four Hispanic males and one Hispanic female in the area who guided them to the suspected drop house.

Upon entry, officers discovered that the bedroom windows were fortified and there was blood leading from outside the home to the sidewalk.

IIMPACT detectives took over the investigation after a possible suspect was discovered walking along a busy street with a head injury.

Later interviews revealed there were 30 to 50 undocumented immigrants inside the home who decided to overpower the human smuggler and make their escape.

Detectives found a 9-millimeter handgun, smuggling ledgers and Western Union Receipts.

Police arrested Andres Tabon-Valiente, 28, a Mexican National.

Tabon-Valiente faces kidnapping, theft by extortion, armed robbery, human smuggling, and misconduct involving weapons charges.

Maria Rosario Garcia-Calderon, Abelardo Morales-Soto, Jose Solome Luna-Molina, Antonio Luna-Calva, Francisco Luna-Calva were rescued. All were Mexican Nationals. Police do not know where the other immigrants are who fled from the drop house.

In an unrelated case, IIMPACT detectives responded to a home near 32nd Avenue and Bethany Home Road after Phoenix police discovered a Mexican National bound and gagged in a closet Friday.

Investigators said both victims and suspects had fled from the home and their whereabouts are unknown.
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http://www.abc15.com/content/news/phoen ... YYLhg.cspx

Would cruising high profile neighborhoods at night with a heat sensitive camera find these drop houses? They must be putting out a lot of heat with 30-50 people inside.