The Dallas Police Department arrested two human trafficking suspects during a raid on January 28, at approximately 2:00 p.m., according to The DPD Beat.
Dallas Police revealed the arrest on January 31 and added that five women were rescued from the alleged human trafficking suspects.
Dallas Police and agents from Homeland Security Investigations’ Human Trafficking Task Force conducted an operation that resulted in the execution of three search warrants and two arrest warrants.
The warrants were issued in connection to a human trafficking ring that was being investigated by the vice unit.
During a press conference, the Dallas Police vice unit commander said the five women were found in an apartment complex in the 5900 block of Arapaho Road in Far North Dallas.
Dallas Police identified the two human trafficking suspects arrested as Arely Lopez-Guzman and Fabiola Cardenas, both 38 and each facing two charges of compelling prostitution and two charges of trafficking a person.
According to The Dallas Morning News, Cardenas, who is undocumented and has a hold from ICE, is in custody on a $100,000 bond for the charges.
Lt. Lisette Rivera from the Dallas Police Department revealed that the victims received help from Mosiac, an organization that provides services to human trafficking survivors. Rivera added that police opened an investigation into the human sex trafficking ring after two women bravely came forward.
“It is never easy to have someone sit down with us and talk about some of the worst moments in their life,” Rivera said during the press conference. “Unfortunately, we can’t move forward with an investigation unless we have these victims come and tell us their stories.”
According to Rivera, the women were lured into human trafficking via social media while looking for work.