Maricopa County Sheriff’s detectives arrested a group of seven smugglers carrying 236 pounds of marijuana in the desert just south of Gila Bend, off State Route 85. Four smugglers were arrested including a 17 year old.
Sheriff’s Drug Suppression Task Force detectives gathered information about a large group gathering in the desert just south of Gila Bend. When detectives approached the group, two suspects ran into the desert heading south. Detectives completed a search of the desert area and were unable to locate the two fleeing smugglers.
As detectives were processing the scene, a man in a pickup truck pulled over near the group, honked his horn and drove away quickly. He was stopped a short while later by deputies and admitted that he was paid $500.00 to pick up the group.
During an interview with Sheriff’s detectives the group of smugglers admitted that they were being paid $200 each to carry the marijuana from the border.
A total of five males, which include four undocumented entrants and one U.S. Citizen, were arrested and booked into the Fourth Avenue Jail on drug related charges.
In the past 3 days, Maricopa County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 6 people with seizures of 50 pounds of methamphetamine, worth 1.5 million dollars and 236 pounds of marijuana during two separate investigations.