53 Illegal Immigrants Held by Human Smugglers in Phoenix

by Rob Walker | May 12, 2008 at 10:01 am

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Fifty-three illegal immigrants being held against their will were found by authorities in Phoenix, Arizona on Sunday after immigration officials received a tip.

The immigrants were a group that had been smuggled into the US illegally and were being held in a fortified one bedroom home.

The alleged smugglers, all residents of Mexico, had boarded up the home and even taken all their shoes to prevent escape. Weapons were found at the home as well.

PHOENIX (AP) — Fifty-three illegal immigrants were held against their will in a fortified home by suspected smugglers demanding more money, authorities said.
The group of rescued immigrants included two 13-year-old girls, three women and a mentally disabled man. The rest were men, Department of Public Safety spokesman Harold Sanders said.

Authorities began investigating Saturday after getting a tip that immigrants were being held captive. Sanders said the smugglers wanted an average of $2,500 for each person's release.

The single-family home where they were kept had been fortified to prevent escape and weapons were seized at the location. The suspected smugglers also took away the immigrants' shoes so they couldn't run off.