San Diego

Police said Thursday that an East San Diego house was used as a “drop-off point” for illegal aliens being smuggled from Tijuana to Los Angeles.

Late Wednesday afternoon, police arrested 51 illegal aliens, apparently waiting to be smuggled to Los Angeles, police spokesman Bill Robinson said.

Police were dispatched to the area after a report that a woman had been assaulted at the house, Robinson said.

Upon entering the home, police and Border Patrol officers found the illegal aliens and detained them.

Robinson said police believe some of the aliens were responsible for a string of small robberies in the area. Police recovered a few items at the scene that were stolen from a house three blocks away in December, Robinson said.