Four arrested after human trafficking raids at Arkansas massage parlors - KFSM 5Newsonline

[Spencer Bailey]

Griffin said that Operation Obscured Vision began in January and in a matter of days 17 victims were identified.



LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin held a press conference on Friday to announce that four people had been arrested in connection to a series of human trafficking raids across the state.


The raids were part of Griffin's Operation Obscured Vision, a project he said was years in the making.


Griffin said that over the last couple of days, search warrants were executed at 12 different locations across the state, specifically "illicit massage parlors," as part of combatting human trafficking.


There was one arrest in Harrison, one in Rogers, and two in Jonesboro, according to Griffin, adding that all were Chinese nationals and at least one was in the United States on asylum.


"They didn't come over to work in a legitimate company," Griffin said. "This is the plan."


The following are the names of those arrested and the charges they face:

• Chunli Wang, 50, of Rogers, is facing one count of second-degree sexual assault
• Hongliang Cai, 55, of Jonesboro, is facing one count of second-degree promoting prostitution
• Qing Chen, 53, of Jonesboro, is facing one count of second-degree promoting prostitution
• Haiyan Lu, 54, of Harrison, is facing one count of second-degree promoting prostitution

Griffin explained that 17 victims ages 29 to 65 were identified, and 16 were administered aid from medical staff and advocates.


“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," a release from the AG's office said.


Additionally, Griffin said that $70,000 in cash, some of it Chinese currency, was seized, alongside a luxury car.


The attorney general thanked numerous law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and victim advocacy groups, including Arkansas State Police, the Rogers Police Department, the Benton County Sheriff's Office, the Russellville Police Department, and the Little Rock Police Department, among others.


"This is only the beginning. So many leads are going to come out of this, we're going to continue to be able to address this problem," Griffin said. "The criminals who run these establishments and the men who patronize them are on notice. We are coming for you, and we will put an end to this horrific practice of exploiting women through human trafficking.”


Griffin did add that ICE was not involved in the raids.


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