Tip leads PHX PD to drop house, 50 in custody

Approximately 50 illegal immigrants were taken into custody during a drop house bust in Maryvale Tuesday morning.

A citizen's tip led police to the home near 56th Avenue and Thomas Road around 2 a.m.

They say 15 to 20 people in the group are women and children.

The group was handcuffed and taken away by immigration agents.

One man, believed to be the smuggler, was taken away separately.

Phoenix Police Sgt. Andy Hill says at least one person managed to get away from the home.

He says investigators are working to determine if the women and children were assaulted or if any other crimes were committed.

"Many times the people are brought up here for a fee. As soon as they get here, they're taken by another group and charged another fee. Some of these groups of smugglers will try to kidnap the human cargo from other groups, so that one of the things we'll be looking into."

He says investigators have a lot of work ahead of them. "They're going to be determining whether this was one house or whether they were moved from house to house for a period of time. They'll try to determine if these people were extorted for money."

Hill says the immigrants were shoeless - a tactic used by smugglers to prevent them from running away.