Oct 8, 5:25 PM EDT

11 migrants held for ransom rescued in Phoenix

PHOENIX (AP) -- Agents with an illegal immigration task force say they've rescued 11 migrants being held for ransom in a Phoenix drop house.

A statement from the multi-agency team led by the state Department of Public Safety says they were called on Sunday by a family member who told them human smugglers were demanding a $5,000 ransom payment to release his brother and sister-in-law.

Detectives located a drop house in northwest Phoenix and arrested the main suspect and his girlfriend as they drove away on Monday night. They then served a search warrant and found the captive migrants and four suspected smugglers who were holding them captive.

The 11 illegal immigrants told detectives they were pistol-whipped and beaten because their family members couldn't pay their ransom

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