LITTLE ROCK — On Friday, Attorney General Tim Griffin announced the execution of search warrants at 12 locations across the state as part of Operation Obscured Vision to combat human trafficking, resulting in aid provided to 16 victims, the arrest of four individuals, and the seizure of nearly $70,000 and a luxury vehicle.
Seventeen victims ranging in age from 29-65 were identified in the operation; one victim declined aid. All of the victims were Chinese nationals. One of the warrants was executed in Harrison, as mentioned by HPD Assistant Police Chief John Cagle at the Thursday night City Council meeting.
Griffin stated that the operation was the first undertaken with the assistance of a full time human trafficking investigator in his office — a position that the attorney general had created.
Four women were arrested as part of the operation. Haiyan Lu, 54, of Harrison, is charged with one count of Promoting Prostitution in the Second Degree. Griffin explained that Lu is 54 years old and came to the United States seeking asylum. “She went to Flushing, New York, and made her way here at some point. We were told by witnesses and victims that there are advertisements in mainland China saying ‘We’ve got work for you in the United States’ and this is the way they (human traffickers) do it,” said the attorney general.
Qing Chen, 53, of Jonesboro, is charged with one count of Promoting Prostitution in the Second Degree. Hongliang Cai, 55, of Jonesboro, is charged with one count of Promoting Prostitution in the Second Degree. Chunli Wang, 50, of Rogers, is charged with one count of Sexual Assault in the Second Degree.
Griffin explained that the operation had been “a couple of years in the making.” “There was no task force on human trafficking when I got here,” he stated, “We started that. We announced STOP — Statewide Tactical Operations Partnership, and we have been meeting.”
“January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and the best way to prevent human trafficking and rescue its victims is to combat it on one of its key fronts: illicit massage parlors,” said Griffin. “Many of the women working in these illicit massage parlors are coerced to do so. One victim we interviewed stated that she is forced to work seven days a week, 13 hours per day.”
The complete list of towns where the search warrants were executed includes Jonesboro, Russellville, Hot Springs, Rogers, Harrison, and a Little Rock hotel. “I congratulate the local police officers, sheriff’s deputies, the Arkansas State Police, and Special Agents in my office for successfully executing this operation,” said Griffin.
“This is only the beginning and we’ve got a lot of leads, a whole lot of leads,” Griffin said.
Griffin also acknowledged the efforts of victim’s advocates and the Arkansas Department of Health, who provided language interpreters, nursing services, for their “support to help victims receive comprehensive and coordinated assistance to ensure their safety and support their journey toward independence and recovery.”
