Gold Canyon Candle Company raided by Sheriff department!

Maricopa County sheriff's deputies raided Gold Canyon Candle Company at Arizona Avenue and Riggs Road today.

According to a press release, as many as 23 people are involved in identity theft, a White House staff member connection and an internal plan by plant employees to avoid capture by immigration or law enforcement authorities.

An employee's mother said deputies were inside, asking for immigration papers. Authorities say 65 people, most of who were illegals, were arrested in the raid. Twenty-three of those were booked on identity theft charges and 37 taken into custody based on their illegal status. An additional five U.S. citizens were arrested on outstanding warrants.

Gold Canyon Company spokeswoman Rebecca Clyde said deputies showed up with a search warrant, looking for specific individuals on charges of identity theft.

"Gold Canyon has always participated in e-verify, verifies all documentation with the government as required, and makes sure that there's appropriate W-2s and I-9s for every employee," according to a person named Clyde.

She said MCSO showed the human relations director the search warrant, but did not allow the attorney to review it. Clyde said the company didn't receive prior notification of the raid.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas will provide more details later tonight.

Funny how the Gold Canyon Candle Company tries to say they follow all the required laws, but they get raided and are found to have over 60 illegal aliens working for them. I hope this company gets a large penalty like the law intended for these type of employers.

9 held hostage in West Valley drop house

On July 22nd at approximately 1:10 p.m. Phoenix Police Officers were contacted by a Hispanic male near 111th Lane and Campbell saying he had been held against his will at gun point and was beaten at a nearby drop house located at 4441 N. 111th Lane.

He told Officers there were additional victims being held. The man brought officers to a residence where the window screen had been broken out. Officers summoned IIMPACT Detectives.

Inside the house, detectives found 9 suspected UDA’s (undocumented aliens), 8 males and 1 female. Two suspected human smugglers had fled before detectives arrived.

The victims told investigators they were being held for ransom. The smugglers were demanding $3,200 a piece to secure their freedom. The UDA’s also said they had crossed the border into Arizona on July 12th and were taken to the house where they have been held ever since.

IIMPACT (Illegal Immigration Prevention & Apprehension Co-op Team) was formed almost a year ago. It 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.

Van full of illegals involved in wreck on U.S. 60, Arizona

There was a heavy police presence on the westbound on ramps of U.S. 60 near McClintock starting around 8 a.m. today.

According to the Department of Public Safety, a van carrying as many as 15 illeagal immigrants was involved in some kind of car wreck.

Some people sustained minor injuries. There's no word if anybody was taken to the hospital as of yet.

The van was the only vehicle still on the scene, so investigators believe this might be a hit-and-run type situation.

This is a sad, almost everyday occurance in Arizona now