17 Illegal Aliens Apprehended by Sheriff-s Deputies Overnight

Obamas Immigration Policies May Encourage More Border Crossings Phoenix, AZ - Maricopa County Sheriffs Human Smuggling interdiction unit had its hands full yesterday in two separate smuggling cases that netted 17 total arrests yesterday. In the first investigation, a vehicle travelling northbound out of the county was filled with 12 occupants including a male and female coyote driver. Once the vehicle was stopped, detectives determined that each person being smuggled into the country agreed to pay between $1200.00 and $6000.00 to be taken to Oklahoma, Tennessee, Maryland or Georgia. They all crossed into the U.S. near Nogales. Nine of the subjects were Mexican Nationals, two were from El Salvador and one subject was from Guatemala. They were taken into custody by Sheriffs deputies and booked into the downtown jail on state charges. In the second investigation, deputies working a drug interdiction case near Gila Bend came across five (5) male subjects huddled together under a tree. When approached, all fled but quickly gave up. Human smuggling detectives were called to the scene and determined the incident was in fact a human smuggling operation. Each person contracted with a coyote and paid $2000 to be illegally smuggled into the U.S. and crossed into the country near Sonoita, all claimed to be Mexican Nationals. They were booked into the 4th Avenue jail on human smuggling charges. While the show me your papers provisions of SB1070 were just approved, Arpaio says his deputies, who have continued enforcing human smuggling and illegal immigration laws, have arrested 226 illegal this year during human smuggling operations. Arpaio remains very concerned that the weak immigration stance taken by President Obama will exacerbate the numbers of illegals entering and increase the amount of drugs being brought into the country as well.