Fifteen coyotes arrested and thirteen victims rescued, including four children
On Sunday, July 5, 2009, detectives from the multi-agency Illegal Immigration Prevention and Apprehension Co-Op Team (IIMPACT) began investigating a complaint received from a local woman who said her boyfriend had re-entered the U.S. from Mexico after recently being deported and was being held captive in a Phoenix area house. The woman said the captors had held him since June 26th and were initially demanding about $1,200 for his release. By Sunday, July 5, 2009, the ransom was raised to $3,000, and if it wasn’t paid the captors, or coyotes, threatened to beat up and then behead the woman’s boyfriend and dump his body in the desert. Through investigative efforts, IIMPACT, which includes officers from the Phoenix Police Department, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS), located the house where the woman’s boyfriend was being held. Five suspected human smugglers (coyotes) were arrested following a vehicle and foot pursuit by Phoenix Police following an attempted traffic stop after they were seen leaving the suspected drop house (today) on Monday, July 6, 2009. A canine unit from the Phoenix Police Department and the agency’s Firebird Air Support assisted in capturing the initial coyotes. Later, two female suspected human smugglers were stopped and taken into custody after leaving the house.
Also this morning at about 9:00 a.m., a SWAT team from the DPS Special Operations Unit served a search warrant at 2827 W Campbell, Phoenix. The SWAT Team located 15 people in the home who are all believed to be illegal aliens. Of the 15, two suspected human smugglers, both male, were taken into custody. Of the victims, nine were female, including a seven-year-old and a two-year-old child. Of the males, one was 12-years-old and another three-years-old. The victims are believed to have been in the house for up to one week and all claim to be Mexican Nationals. The victims are in fair condition and have not required or requested medical attention. No significant fortifications were found in the residence.
One of the victims informed IIMPACT detectives about a second location at a Motel 6 where additional human smugglers were hiding out. At about 10:00 a.m. this morning, a DPS SWAT Team made entry into a room at the Motel 6 near Indian School and I-17. Upon entry, six suspected human smugglers were located and no victims.
The 15 suspected human smugglers (coyotes) arrested were booked into the Maricopa County 4th Ave Jail on extortion and human smuggling charges. All are believed to be Mexican Nationals.
