Police said that they found no sign of human trafficking at an abandoned Arizona campsite, contradicting explosive allegations levied by a local volunteer group.
KVOA reported that the Tucson Police Department inspected a campsite off of I-19 and Valencia Road multiple times but didn’t find any evidence of illegal activity. Despite this, police reassured the public that they would continue to investigate.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Veterans on Patrol—a volunteer group aimed at getting homeless people off the streets—claimed they discovered multiple items Tuesday which they believe indicated that the homeless camp was anything but: restraints tied to trees, a stroller, a crib, an outdoor bathroom, hair dye, and pornographic material.
Volunteers who spoke with Tucson News Now also called attention to a 5-foot “cave” that had a tire and a water container inside. Inside the water container was a dresser and two crates—the latter being large enough for a child to easily fit inside.
“Anybody that walks through that site will clearly know that’s sex trafficking,” Veterans On Patrol spokeswoman Addie Rivera told KVOA. “That’s children and women being abused.
They have not been out here to collect any evidence and we have them in our possession.”
The news station said asked the organization to see the items and was told that the items were being held in a private location and that they haven’t been turned over to police.
Police said they’ve been patrolling the site at a great strain to their resources. The department also told the station that the grounds are private property and anyone on it is trespassing.
[Featured image: KVOA video screengrab]
