4 charged with human smuggling after drop-house raid
19 people held and beaten at Avondale home
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Department of Public SafetyA room in the Avondale house raided Wednesday by DPS' Special Operations Unit.
Four Mexican men were arrested on human smuggling charges after police raided a suspected drop house Wednesday where 19 people were being held in Avondale, the Arizona Department of Public Safety announced Thursday.
Manuel Castro, 29; Anselmo Mancinas, 29; Enrique Alfredo Perez, 20; and Ivan Rodriguez, 29, are accused of holding people hostage in a boarded up room and beating them with wooden sticks and pistols for not paying an extortion fee, DPS said.
Two women and 17 men were found inside the house. Three of the victims were taken to a hospital to be treated for injuries from alleged beatings, DPS said.
During the raid, DPS’ Special Operations Unit also seized 15.5 pounds of marijuana and $1,000. DPS said.
The four suspects were charged with aggravated assault, armed robbery, kidnapping and human smuggling, DPS said.
Two of the suspects were treated at a hospital for cuts from crashing through a window in an attempt to flee officers, DPS said.
The victims, all Mexican nationals, were turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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