Authorities in Texas are investigating two recent cases of what they said were planned sex-trafficking operations, both of which involved semi-trucks.
On Friday, the United States Border Patrol in Laredo found a missing girl from Odessa at the Interstate 35 checkpoint. Agents said the girl, whose age was not released, was found inside a tractor-trailer.
On Wednesday, the Cisco Police Department responded to a call of a female who had been seriously injured near a Flying J/Denny’s restaurant on Interstate 20 in Cisco. She had injured herself after jumping from a tractor-trailer and later stated that she had been kidnapped in El Paso. Her age has also not been released.
Cisco Police said the tractor-trailer was described as green with a white stripe. The truck was pulling a white, box-type trailer and was occupied by three males. Cisco Police reported that another female was still in the truck and may be in grave danger.
According to experts, it’s important to understand the differences between prostitution, which is voluntary, and sex trafficking, which can trap victims with involuntary sex work.
The cases were turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations.
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