TABC touts 10-year human trafficking investigation that yields just 1 felony arrest

A highly touted 10-year human trafficking investigation by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) has so far has only resulted in one felony arrest.

But TABC officials remained bullish on the effectiveness of their efforts during a high-profile news conference on Thursday.

A human trafficking investigation involving nine Houston-area bars led to the arrest of four people and 84 people rescued, officials said Thursday.

On October 18, ABC13's cameras were rolling when nine cantinas were busted in a single night. At the time, TABC investigators said 84 people were rescued as part of raids conducted simultaneously. TABC also said all nine cantinas had their liquor licenses suspended for 90 days.

On Thursday, TABC invited the Harris County Sheriff's Department, the Houston Police Department, and other agencies to stand alongside as they spoke about the raid's success.

"They look on the outside like a regular bar or a nightclub with a bar, a dance floor, pool tables - but behind them is a labyrinth of hidden rooms, cement floors, closet-sized with soiled mattresses," TABC Chai Kevin Lilly said. "An actual house of horrors hiding within the trapdoors and secret doors of these establishments."

At the news conferences, TABC officials could not name any suspected sex trafficking suspects who were arrested. It's not clear that the operation actually netted any suspected traffickers.

Thursday afternoon, the Harris County District Attorney's office confirmed that the 10-year investigation yielded just four arrests. Of those arrests, three are misdemeanors, and the DA's office said those three are likely trafficking victims. That means those charges will probably be dropped at a future date. The fourth arrest is a felony, but that individual may be a crucial witness in the investigation.

Neither the DA's office nor the TABC could confirm that any suspected traffickers were arrested and charged. When pressed on this, a TABC spokesperson told ABC13 that the operation was still considered a success because there could be additional criminal charges, and that there were no injuries or deaths during any of the raids.

"Imagine nine simultanous operations throughout the city of Houston, at exactly the same time, involved flawless precision," Chair Lilly said during the news conference. "This really was an extraordinary day for law enforcement in this country."

Sources within the Houston Police Department say they were merely supporting the TABC investigation.

The nine cantinas raided were:

• El Flamingo Club, 3715 Aldine Mail Route

• Koko Bongo, 955 Federal Road

• Los Escorpiones #2, 1636 Federal Road

• Los Escorpiones #5, 2815 Luell St.

• El Cruzero Sports Bar, 7715 W. Hardy Road

• Bora Bora Sports Bar, 11028 Aldine Westfield Road

• El Rinconcito Night Club, 743 Freeport St.

• La Condesa, 8810 Jensen Drive

• Las Margaritas Night Club, 210 E. Little York Road

The establishments ccould be eligible to get their liquor licenses reinstated after 90 days, though TABC officials say most times, the establishments are effectively shut down permanently.