Modern Slavery News Round-up

Coast Guard rescues 3 women from human trafficking in Zamboanga Government operatives this week rescued in Zamboanga City three Filipina would-be victims of human trafficking bound for Sabah. The operatives arrested the suspected traffickers identified as Benhar Mukin and Estrella Hasan, both from Zamboanga City. According to the three victims, one Shon Joon Sin recruited them in Pampanga and promised them decent jobs with good salarie in Sabah.

Subway Owners Arrested After Human Trafficking Investigation Married couple Amrutlal Patel and Dakshaben Patel were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly harboring and employing illegal aliens in their four Subway Restaurants in Lexington, Ky. The arrests were made after a 3-month human trafficking investigation. One of their Subways was raided shortly after they were taken into custody, as reported by local NBC affiliate WLEX-TV. Three of the Patels' employees, all Indian nationals illegally in the United States, were brought to the Lexington Police Department for questioning, according to official court documents obtained by The Huffington Post.

Cindy McCain, Christie to talk human trafficking
Cindy McCain slammed the National Football League on Wednesday for not being “willing to deal” with the issue of sex trafficking at the Super Bowl. “Everybody else has been very helpful, the NFL’s not willing to deal with this issue, and I can’t answer why, I don’t know why,” McCain said during POLITICO’s Women Rule conversation series, co-sponsored by The Tory Burch Foundation and Google, which was hosted at The Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Report includes 19 indicators of sex trafficking in Maine
PORTLAND, Maine — The national Polaris Project released a report Thursday dissecting data gleaned from calls placed to its human trafficking hotline, a help number that has seen a sharp increase in contacts over the last five years. In Maine, the organization reported that its hotline netted 19 of what Polaris Project defines as high- or moderate-level indicators of trafficking in the most recent year. However, local experts say that number is just the tip of the iceberg and that a continued push to provide comprehensive services to victims is necessary.

Vital 'golden hour' after human trafficking victims are rescued
The delicate moments after suspected victims of human trafficking are rescued are so important they are known by care workers as "the golden hour". The Salvation Army holds the government contract to help trafficking victims for the first 45 days of their release and organizes an interview room in a church, council office or other under-used building. According to Ann Reed, the charity's anti-trafficking response coordinator, here the victim can shower, eat, see a doctor, put on some new clothes and speak to a non-uniformed police officer for an hour or two to give an overview of their experience.