Three drop houses busted in Douglas area-72 Illegals Detained

By Derek Jordan
Herald/Review
Thursday, Sep 10, 2009

SIERRA VISTA — A statewide gang and immigration task force uncovered three human-smuggling drop houses in the Douglas area over the course of four days last week.

On Sept. 1, the Gang and Immigration Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission, or GIITEM, responded to a residence at 513 Fir Ave., in Pirtleville.

Thirty-three illegal immigrants were kept in the house, which had no running water, no working electricity and closed windows, according to an Arizona Department of Public Safety statement released Wednesday.

“They had been in that house for a week, and they were not in very good shape,â€