4 Smuggling Suspects Seized, 15 Aliens Freed
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Four suspected smugglers of illegal immigrants were arrested early Saturday and 15 of their victims were freed, including a 9-year-old girl and a Guatemalan man who was kidnapped in Mexico and brought to California, police said.
Victor Carrillo, 27, had been kidnapped from a Tijuana alley Friday, put in a small van, brought to Maywood and held for $350 ransom, authorities said.
Bell Police Sgt. William Talbott said he arrested two of the suspected kidnapers when he accompanied Carrillo’s sister to a ransom drop at a Bell fast-food restaurant.
Police traced a telephone number the kidnapers earlier gave to Carrillo’s family and raided a house in the 6100 block of Pala Avenue in Maywood about 12:30 a.m. Saturday, finding the 14 others held captive, including the 9-year-old girl, the niece of one of the men, Talbott said.
Two more suspected smugglers were arrested at the house.
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