Saturday, March 21, 2009

Police: Woman kidnapped in human smuggling incident

Police arrest two men allegedly involved in the abduction. The woman is found unharmed.

By ELYSSE JAMES
The Orange County Register

A woman was allegedly kidnapped as part of a suspected human smuggling operation in Tustin on Saturday evening, police said.

The 32-year-old woman's alleged abduction is believed by police to be in response to a dispute over payment for human smuggling. Officers are not yet sure what country the alleged victim came from, but said it might be Guatemala.

Family members of the woman called the Tustin police at about 5:30 p.m. to report the kidnapping at Red Hill Avenue and Nisson Road in Tustin near the I-5.

Two adult males in a black Sport Utility Vehicle were arrested about an hour later in San Clemente when the SUV was spotted going south on the I-5. California Highway Patrol officers pulled over the SUV and arrested the two men.

The woman was in the SUV. She was not harmed but she was upset, said Tustin police Sgt. Andrew Birozy.

Investigators were interviewing the woman on Saturday evening. Police have not yet released the names of the two men who were arrested.

Contact the writer: 949-553-2918 or ejames@ocregister.com

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/woma ... v-arrested