PINAL, Ariz. — The Pinal County Sheriff's Office is investigating a human smuggling case after three vehicles carrying dozens of people were stopped on US Highway 60 early Wednesday morning.
PCSO said at about 7 a.m., deputies spotted the vehicles traveling together along the highway. When deputies tried to stop the vehicles, they sped away.
Deputies caught up to the vehicles and stopped them, at which time 30 to 40 people got out and ran off into the desert.
Deputies found three of the people who fled and they were turned over to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Officials said two of the people had no identification but said they were from Guatemala.
The rest of the people fled into the desert and are unaccounted for at this time, according to Lauren Reimer, the public information officer for the sheriff's office.
Reiner said that deputies found numerous items commonly associated with human smuggling cases in the vehicles.
"While clearing the suspect vehicles, our deputies located numerous camouflage backpacks, camouflage clothing, and carpet shoes, which are commonly seen in human smuggling vehicles," said Reimer.
The items are used by migrants as they make their way through the desert after illegally crossing the border into the United States.
According to Reimer, the incident followed a similar situation just one day before.
"Deputies stopped another vehicle in that same area that was trafficking nine people," said Reimer.
Those people were turned over to Border Patrol.
Reimer said they have seen an uptick in human smugglers using US Highway 60 to avoid I-10, which is heavily patrolled by deputies.
She said the sheriff's office is "well aware of this shift and also have our anti-smuggling units patrolling the US 60."
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