15 arrested in drop-house case

by Rosha Safarmehdi
Jul. 6, 2009 12:28 PM
The Arizona Republic

Fifteen people were arrested Monday morning after 13 people were found being held captive at an alleged drop house in Phoenix, DPS officials said.

Phoenix police on Sunday received a tip from a woman that said her boyfriend was being held at a house near 29th and Campbell avenues, said Bart Graves, spokesman for DPS.

She told police that she had been receiving ransom calls from the smugglers since June 27. At one point, they threatened to cut off her boyfriend's head if they didn't get the money they had demanded.
She reportedly received one final call Sunday and was told she had a deadline to give them $3,000, Graves said. That is when the woman called police.

Police and immigration officials who entered the home Monday morning found 13 people, some as young as 2 and 12 years old. They are believed to be undocumented immigrants from Mexico, police said, and may have been held up to eight days.

Some of the alleged smugglers were found in a nearby hotel, police said.

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