Feds raid Smithfield plant; 28 detained

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/679760.html

Kristin Collins, Staff Writer
Federal immigration officials conducted a raid Wednesday -- the second this year -- at Smithfield Foods' giant pork slaughterhouse in Bladen County.

Twenty-eight people stand accused of entering the country illegally and committing identity theft, said Richard Rocha, a spokesman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Twenty-five were from Mexico, two were from Guatemala and one from Honduras.

Rocha said that the arrests were the result of an investigation and that the suspects were targeted, not part of a random sweep of illegal immigrants.

Eight were detained during their shifts at the Smithfield plant early Wednesday morning, plant officials said. The rest were arrested at their homes in the four-county area around the plant in Tar Heel, which is the world's largest pork slaughterhouse.

The plant operates around the clock and employs more than 5,000 people, about half of whom are Hispanic.

Most, if not all, of those arrested are current or former Smithfield employees, Rocha said.

FULL story at link.

[madrchsod]

1. did that get that obnoxious woman who does the commercials?

you-all!..she`s not even good doing that fake southern accent