Operation BRIGHT Identifies 79 Trafficking Victims, Provides Expanded Support Services

LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — The Arkansas State Police (ASP) launched an anti-human trafficking operation called Operation BRIGHT (Bringing Rescue and Intervention to Give Hope and Triumph), during which 16 adult suspected victims of human trafficking were provided services and 79 additional local victims were identified.

A suspected trafficker was identified during the operation.

The operation, conducted by ASP and the Arkansas Human Trafficking Council over a single day, provided victims with services including food, housing, on-site medical services, counseling, therapy and drug treatment.

“Due to the hidden nature of human trafficking, it is extremely difficult to locate and reach victims,” said Col. Mike Hagar, ASP Director. “We have a moral obligation to provide services and support to those who have been victims of the manipulation, lies and violence of traffickers. Law enforcement must work together to provide resources to this vulnerable population.”

Law enforcement and victim service providers across the state have partnered to combat human trafficking, recover victims and detain traffickers as they seek to make communities safer.

Local victims were identified by intelligence analysts and law enforcement before and during the operation.

This helped to remove two children from situations of exploitation, vulnerability and instability.

All the minors rescued from their situation were placed in preventive detention.

The Arkansas Attorney General’s Office, Little Rock Police Department, Saline County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Cabot Police Department, Benton Police Department, Arkansas Fusion Center, victim advocates, RISE Regional Response to Sexual Exploitation medical personnel, Project Genesis, Into the Light, ACASA, Saline County Safe Haven, and the NWA Forensic Nursing Team all played a role in ensuring the success of Operation BRIGHT.

This operation follows a similar operation that took place in Hot Springs in May, where 25 adults were identified and seven were contacted and offered services.

Operation BRIGHT was part of a much larger human trafficking operation, involving multiple states from coast to coast.

Other operations took place in New Jersey, Ohio, Iowa, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, California, Minnesota and Washington.

The ASP says this is an ongoing investigation and more information will be released as it becomes available.

If you are aware of or suspect human trafficking in your area, we encourage you to contact the Arkansas Human Trafficking Council by emailing them at [email protected].

You can also contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888.