4 human trafficking victims rescued from residential brothels in California

By Samantha Kamman, Christian Post Reporter Friday, September 13, 2024

A local community helped the San José Police Department rescue four women from residential brothels in the California city, resulting in the arrest of three men in connection with the human trafficking operation.

Officers with the San José Police Department Human Trafficking Task Force executed three search warrants at three homes located on Palacio Royal Circle, Bonita Avenue, and Gifford Avenue. Before searching the homes, the police received multiple tips from members of the community, which resulted in a two-month investigation. 

The SJPD's Human Trafficking Task Force revealed in a statement last Thursday that it arrested 34-year-old suspect Naisong Tong and 60-year-old Guihua Tao on Aug. 28 in San Francisco. Police booked the pair into Santa Clara County Main Jail for human trafficking. Police arrested the third suspect, 53-year-old Zhiqiang Liu, on Sept. 3 in San José, and he was also booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail for human trafficking. 

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"During the execution of the search warrants, four adult female human trafficking survivors were located and provided resources," the department stated. "This operation was made possible with the assistance of the SJPD Downtown Services Unit, VCET, METRO, Street Crimes Unit, 290 Team, Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit, and SJPD Patrol Officers."

The SJPD's Human Trafficking Task Force reaffirmed its commitment to eradicating human trafficking, and the department encouraged anyone with information about this kind of illegal activity to contact the task force. People who have information about the case regarding the three residential brothels in San José were asked to contact an officer named Detective Goldberg. 

California is a frequent destination for traffickers looking to exploit vulnerable individuals due to its proximity to the border and large population. 

According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, which responds to trafficking cases and shares information about resources, the hotline received 3,152 "signals" in 2023 from California. Over 1,000 of the calls received by the hotline from California were from survivors of victims of human trafficking. 

As the World Population Review reported in its 2024 breakdown of human trafficking by state, California consistently has one of the highest rates of human trafficking in the country.

For 2024, however, Mississippi had the highest incidence rate of 6.31 per 100,000. But in 2020, the United States had 8,839 reported cases of human trafficking, with California accounting for 1,334 of the cases reported in 2020. 

"This is followed by Texas with 987 cases, Florida with 738 cases, and New York with 414 cases," World Population Review reported. "These four states with the highest human trafficking rates have the highest populations in the U.S., which can explain why their numbers of cases are significantly higher than other states and have very high immigrant populations. This, combined with certain industries such as agriculture, creates prime environments for forced labor."

The online database noted that one of the common misconceptions about human trafficking is that it only occurs outside of the United States. Law enforcement agencies throughout the country have conducted operations to rescue human trafficking victims and hold traffickers accountable. 

In May, the Arkansas State Police and members of the Arkansas Human Trafficking Council recovered seven female human trafficking survivors and another 25 local victims, including children as part of Operation HOPE (Help and Opportunity to Prevent Exploitation). The endeavor aims to connect human trafficking victims with resources.

"These concerted efforts will significantly contribute to making Arkansas a place where human trafficking is not tolerated," ASP Director Colonel Mike Hagar said in a statement at the time. "The dedicated law enforcement community in Arkansas is fully committed to approaching the grim reality of human trafficking with empathy, aiming to rescue victims from the shadows and provide them with the support and care they need to recover."