A shocking 84 sex-trafficking victims have been found in a bust that shut down nine bars in Houston, Texas. So far, officials have made four arrests, according to FOX 26 Houston.
According to officials in Texas, the bars might have served as brothels connected to Mexican drug cartels. Basically, the establishments look like any other normal bar from the outside and even in the front. However, they often organize sex work in the back, in closet-sized hidden rooms with cement floors and soiled mattresses.
Videos by VICE
Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) chairman Kevin J. Lilly called the bars “an actual house of horrors,” describing sexual abuse “some 30 times a day.”
“There’s a closed-off area, and so it’s kind of managed up front, and the deeds are done in the back,” said David Reid of the non-profit redM. “It’s not as obvious, everything is designed to be hidden.”
The nine bars are under a temporary liquor license suspension after several raids identified their potential involvement in sex trafficking. “As the investigation continues, it’s possible that additional actions could be taken,” said TABCspokesperson Chris Porter.
Houston is a known hotspot for sex trafficking in America, owing to the city’s location with an international port and airport. A recent report by the University of Texas counted over 300,000 sex-trafficking victims in the state of Texas. By Reid’s count, 675 of Houston’s massage parlors were operating as brothels.
As the investigation continues, TABC and Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance personnel are working to identify potential witnesses and any additional victims.
