Human trafficking ring busted in Oakland County, 3 arrested, police say - CBS News

[Paula Wethington]

U-M garden vandalized; Jennifer Crumbley seeking decision from judge; other top stories and weather

U-M garden vandalized; Jennifer Crumbley seeking decision from judge; other top stories and weather 04:00

Three people have been taken into custody in a suspected human trafficking and money laundering operation involving several locations in Southeast Michigan, according to a report from the West Bloomfield Police Department.

The sixth-month investigation by the South Oakland Narcotics Intelligence Consortium (SONIC) wrapped up Wednesday. The sites involved several massage parlor sites operating in Novi, Farmington and Livonia.

"The investigation revealed that female victims were allegedly being coerced into performing commercial sex acts under the pretense of operating as legitimate massage services," the police department report said. "Detectives determined that the women, many of which had been transported from out of state, were allegedly being forced to work under exploitative conditions."

As a result of the investigation, SONIC detectives identified three people believed to be responsible for managing and profiting from the criminal enterprise.

Those three have since been taken into custody.

The investigation was conducted through the coordination of the Novi Police Department, West Bloomfield Police Department, Farmington Hills Police Department, Farmington Hills Police Directed Patrol Unit, Shelby Township Police Department, Common Ground, Care House of Oakland County and the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office.

More from CBS News​

Paula Wethington



Paula Wethington is a digital producer at CBS Detroit. She previously held digital content roles at NEWSnet, Gannett/USA Today network and The Monroe News in Michigan. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina.