Human trafficking case banned in Houston: TABC said 84 people were rescued and 4 were arrested as part of the smuggling operation in 9 nightclubs

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission’s (TABC) highly praised 10-year human trafficking investigation has so far resulted in only one felony arrest.

But TABC officials remained optimistic about the effectiveness of their efforts at a high-profile news conference Thursday.

On Oct. 18, ABC13’s cameras were rolling when nine cafeterias were raided in a single night. At that time, TABC inspectors stated that 84 people were rescued within the scope of simultaneous raids. TABC also said all nine bars had their liquor licenses suspended for 90 days.

On Thursday, TABC invited the Harris County Sheriff’s Department, Houston Police Department and other agencies to stand by as they talk about the success of the raid.

“From the outside, they look like a regular bar or nightclub with a bar, dance floor, pool tables, but behind them is a maze of hidden rooms, cement floors, closet-sized and dirty mattresses,” said TABC Chai Kevin Lilly. . “Hidden among the trap doors and secret doors of these establishments is a real house of horrors.”

At press conferences, TABC officials did not name any of the sex trafficking suspects arrested. It is unclear whether the operation actually caught suspected traders.

As of Thursday afternoon, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that only four people had been arrested in the 10-year investigation. Three of those arrests were misdemeanors, and the prosecutor’s office said the three were likely victims of human trafficking. This means these charges will likely be dropped at a later date. The fourth arrest is a felony, but this person may be a crucial witness in the investigation.

Neither the prosecutor’s office nor the TABC could confirm that the suspected traffickers had been arrested and charged. When pressed on this issue, a TABC spokesperson told ABC13 that while there may be additional criminal charges, the operation is still considered successful and there were no injuries or deaths during any of the raids.

“Imagine nine simultaneous operations performed at exactly the same time across the city of Houston requiring impeccable precision,” Mayor Lilly said during the press conference. “This was truly an extraordinary day for law enforcement in this country.”

Sources at the Houston Police Department say they are solely supportive of the TABC investigation.

The nine bars raided were:

• El Flamingo Club, 3715 Aldine Post Road

• Koko Bongo, 955 Federal Way

• Los Escorpiones #2, 1636 Federal Way

• Los Escorpiones #5, 2815 Luell St.

• El Cruzero Sports Bar, 7715 W. Hardy Road

• Bora Bora Sports Bar, 11028 Aldine Westfield Road

• El Rinconcito Nightclub, 743 Freeport St.

• La Condesa, 8810 Jensen Drive

• Las Margaritas Nightclub, 210 E. Little York Road

Establishments will be eligible to reinstate their liquor licenses after 90 days, although TABC officials often say businesses are effectively closed permanently.