JONESBORO, Ark. — Five women believed to be victims of human trafficking and another 30 local victims were identified and offered services as part of Operation HART (Human Anti-Trafficking Recovery Team) in Jonesboro earlier this month. One suspected trafficker was also identified.
The operation was conducted by the Arkansas State Police (ASP) and Arkansas Human Trafficking Council. Recovery operations are underway to provide victims with necessities such as food, lodging, onsite medical services, counseling/therapy, and drug rehabilitation.
“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.”
The operation was coordinated by representatives from federal, state, local and non-government organizations, including the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office, Jonesboro Police Department, Arkansas State University Police Department, Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation Task Force Members, Harrison Police Department, Arkansas Fusion Center, along with victim advocates from the Regional Intervention of Sexual Exploitation “RISE,” The Genesis Project, Hope Found of Northeast Arkansas, Paws for Justice, ACASA, and the NWA Forensic Nurse Team.
Additionally, ten men were detained and ten adult females and two minor females were identified and offered recovery services after a similar operation in Little Rock in September. Five of the adults accepted assistance and all minors were taken into protective custody.
If you have information or suspect human trafficking in your area, please contact the Arkansas Human Trafficking Council at reportht@asp.arkansas.gov or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888.
Further details cannot be released at this time, as the investigation is ongoing. We will provide updates as they become available.