Maricopa County Sheriff’s Human Smuggling Unit deputies found a ten year old child abandoned by his mother, a human smuggler, after a car chase in the North Valley.
In the course of the investigation, it was determined that all 12 of the suspects were in the country illegally and they had just recently crossed the border. Ten illegal aliens were booked into the 4th Avenue Jail on state felony Human Smuggling charges and three were turned over to ICE including a mother and her ten year old child.
When deputies initially made contact with the vehicle’s occupants, the driver fled from deputies at a high rate of speed. The chase ended when the vehicle came to an abrupt stop and the driver and front passenger, the child’s mother fled on foot. They were quickly apprehended and arrested.
During the investigation, sheriff’s detectives learned that 12 illegal aliens had paid the smuggler between $1,400 and $4,000 each, to be transported into the United States. One of the vehicle occupants was a ten year old boy.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio says, “This is the second case in one week where deputies have found children involved in these unfortunate human smuggling cases.”
The destination of the group was Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and Georgia. All the suspected illegal aliens admitted to have crossed into the country near Nogales, Mexico and claimed to be Mexican Nationals.
In recent incidents there has been six (6) minor children, all turned over to ICE officials after being part of a human smuggling operations. To date the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office has arrested over 5,800 illegal aliens involved in human smuggling.