By admin HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A major sex trafficking operation linked to drug cartels was busted in Houston on Friday night.
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, with help from the FBI and state and local police, conducted raids on nine nightclubs and bars in what they say may be the largest operation of its kind in Texas history.
The Eyewitness News crew noticed a heavy police presence at La Condesa nightclub in north Houston. TABC confirms this was one of the locations raided.
It’s the result of a 10-year investigation that TABC says led to multiple arrests and helped identify at least 50 potential victims who they say were held at the companies against their will.
“It’s sad that people are being held in these conditions,” TABC President Kevin Lilly said in a Jan. 13 interview.
TABC said it declined to name the cartel behind the human trafficking operation, but said an average of 10 to 20 women worked at each company.
“They didn’t live there, but there were sex acts going on there,” Lilly said.
TABC said it has filed emergency orders to close all nine businesses for the next 90 days.
“This takes effect immediately. They are chained and locked up,” he said.
Here are the nine businesses police visited on Friday:
- El Flamingo Club, 3715 Aldine Mail Rt.
- Koko Bongo, 955 Federal Rd.
- Los Escorpiones No. 2, 1636 Federal Rd.
- Los Escorpiones #5, 2815 Luell St.
- El Cruzero Sports Bar, 7715 W. Hardy
- Bora Bora Sports Bar, 11028 Aldine Westfield Rd.
- El Rinconcito Nightclub, 743 Freeport St.
- La Condesa, 8810 Jensen Dr.
- Las Margaritas Nightclub, 210 E. Little York Rd.
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