60 People Packed in Riverside House

Federal officials arrested two men for allegedly smuggling illegal immigrants into the U.S. after Riverside police officers on Tuesday discovered a “drop house” with 60 immigrants packed inside.

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official said the suspects, identified only as nationals from Mexico and El Salvador, were spotted outside the Pleasant Street house in Riverside and appeared to be serving as lookouts.

Officers were executing an arrest warrant on a resident of the home when they found the immigrants living inside a 400-square-foot addition to the house that had barred, blacked-out windows, authorities said.

“It’s a usual situation in a drop house to ensure no one gets away, knowing if one does, you risk losing the entire load,” said Marie Sebrechts, a customs enforcement spokeswoman.

“There was no indication anyone was being held against their will, but it was a small, very cramped situation for 60 people.”

Police originally found 53 immigrants, and a second search by federal officials led to the discovery of seven others hiding in the attic.

Of those detained, 32 were from Guatemala, 17 from El Salvador, eight were Hondurans and three were from Mexico, authorities said.

When interviewed, some of the immigrants told federal authorities that they entered the U.S. through the Arizona desert in small groups.

Each of the immigrants allegedly paid the smugglers $4,500 to $6,000 as part of a “guided” package that would ultimately result in their movement to Los Angeles, and a one-way commercial flight to the East Coast, immigration officials said.

Many of the immigrants told authorities they had been kept inside the Riverside house for 10 to 14 days, eating two meals a day of tortillas and eggs.

“Those not designated as witnesses will be involved in [deportation] proceedings,” Sebrechts said.

The Riverside drop house was the third discovered in Riverside County this year.

In April, authorities raided a Corona trailer occupied by 56 immigrants and in February found 64 men and women being held for ransom in Perris.

“Human smuggling is a very lucrative business,” Sebrechts said.

“There’s obviously a [smuggling] system in place out there, and the use of drop houses or quick staging areas are part of that system.”