ASP: 5 women rescued from human trafficking in Jonesboro

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - A joint operation between multiple agencies ended with police rescuing five suspected human trafficking victims.

Arkansas State Police, along with members of the Arkansas Human Trafficking Council, conducted the recovery operation one day earlier this month in Jonesboro.

During Operation HART (Human Anti-Trafficking Recovery Team), they offered services to five women believed to be victims of human trafficking and identified 30 more local victims. Attorney General Tim Griffin said in a separate news release that four of the women voluntarily accepted assistance.

ASP said they also identified one suspected trafficker but did not release any names and did not say if any arrests were made.

“Further details cannot be released at this time,” the release stated. “The investigation is ongoing.”

In addition to food and lodging, law enforcement and victim service providers also offered the victims onsite medical services, counseling/therapy, and drug rehabilitation, a Monday news release stated.

“The Arkansas law enforcement community and our victim service partners are on a mission to end human trafficking in Arkansas,” said ASP Director Colonel Mike Hagar. “We are working to give law enforcement the specialized training they need to embrace victims with compassion while they free them from perpetrators of this heinous crime.”

“I applaud the efforts of this coalition of organizations, which represent both law enforcement and victim services groups,” Griffin said. “It is only through this kind of intentional collaboration that we can make a real difference in the fight against human trafficking in Arkansas.”

According to the news release, the operation was made possible through the coordinated efforts of representatives from federal, state, local, and non-government organizations, including: