Sheriff’s deputies saturate Cave Creek in crime suppression operation

PHOENIX – Maricopa County Sheriff’s Joe Arpaio’s Illegal Immigration Interdiction Unit (Triple I), responded to complaints from Cave Creek citizens regarding day laborer problems at the Good Shepherd of the Hills Church. The Triple I team arrested 18 illegal aliens under state and federal immigration laws in a crime suppression operation on Tuesday.

While the day laborer problems in Cave Creek have continually been enforced by deputies, this time citizen complaints came in reference to day laborer and illegal alien activity near the Carefree Highway. In recent weeks, there has been a significant increase in the number of arrests made for human smuggling/load vehicles in the area of Interstate 17 and Carefree Highway.

In response to that activity, the Sheriff’s Illegal Immigration Interdiction Unit did a saturation patrol in the Cave Creek area beginning early Tuesday morning. In a matter of five hours, deputies conducted 81 interviews, in the process of making 59 traffic violation stops. During those traffic stops, 19 people were arrested and taken into custody, including the 18 illegal aliens.

“Every crime suppression operation shows us the immigration problem in Maricopa County is pervasive and our next stop is Mesa,” says Sheriff Arpaio.
The Sheriff’s Office has conducted several crime suppression operations this year resulting in a total of 193 arrests; and 77 warrants were cleared. Of the 193 people arrested, 107 were determined to be illegal aliens.