IIMPACT Detectives dismantle two drop houses in Phoenix

IIMPACT Detectives dismantle two drop houses in Phoenix this week
Total of four coyotes arrested and 21 victims rescued

Friday, July 31, 2009 -


On Thursday, July 30, 2009, the Phoenix Police Department notified detectives with the multi-agency Illegal Immigration Prevention & Apprehension Co-op Team (IIMPACT) about a possible drop house in Phoenix. Detectives with IIMPACT, which is administered by the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS), were also notified that four armed guards, presumably coyotes, were holding as many as 20 undocumented aliens (UDAs) at the residence. IIMPACT detectives began to survey the suspected drop house at 9607 N. 35th Dr. and arrested one suspected human smuggler following a traffic stop after detectives saw him leaving the residence. IIMPACT detectives stopped and arrested another suspected human smuggler after he left the residence on foot.

At around 6:40 p.m., the DPS SWAT Team served a search warrant at the residence. Once in the house, the SWAT Team located 14 people who were all believed to be undocumented aliens (UDAs). Of the 14, four were female, and 10 were men. The victims are from Mexico, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Honduras. The victims were found in fair condition and did not require nor request medical attention. It appears the residence has been operating as a drop house for some time. The coyotes used boards and plywood on the inside of the windows as fortification. During a search of the house, detectives discovered and seized a 9mm handgun and human smuggling ledgers. Charges are pending against two suspects.

IIMPACT investigated a different drop house earlier this week on Tuesday, July, 28, 2009, at 1:34 p.m. Officers from the Phoenix Police Department responded to an emergency call in the area of 83rd Drive and Cocopah in which the caller claimed to have seen people being forced out of a vehicle and into the home at gunpoint. Phoenix Police arrived at 1801 S. 83rd Dr. and surrounded the home. However, the people inside refused to come out. IIMPACT was called in to investigate and at 5:17 p.m., the DPS SWAT Team served a search warrant at the house. The SWAT Team discovered eight men inside believed to be UDAs. An IIMPACT sergeant discovered another suspected human smuggler, Marcos Guiterrez Lopez, of Mexico, in the far corner of the house’s attic around 7:40 p.m. The suspect was transported to an area hospital for the treatment of heat exhaustion and dehydration. A search of the house resulted in the seizure of three handguns (a .380 semi-auto, a 9 mm semi-auto, and a .357 revolver) along with almost one pound of cocaine (street value of about $8,400), scales, 10 phones and five human smuggling ledgers.


Two suspects arrested at 1801 S. 83rd Dr.:
Simon Diaz Lerma, 20, of Mexico
Marcos Guiterrez Lopez, 26, of Mexico

Both suspects were booked into the Maricopa County 4th Ave Jail on human smuggling charges and misconduct involving weapons.


IIMPACT (Illegal Immigration Prevention & Apprehension Co-op Team) is a multi-agency project managed by GIITEM of the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) that is designed to address rising crime associated with illegal immigration. IIMPACT is comprised of personnel from DPS, Phoenix Police,
ICE and the Arizona Fraudulent Identification Task Force (AFIT). As the name implies, local, state and federal police agencies combine forces to impact international human smuggling organizations operating in Arizona.