Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Worker Help Sought to Combat Super Bowl Human Trafficking
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 5 years ago on
January 10, 2020

Share

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — To combat human trafficking during the Super Bowl, law enforcement officials said Thursday that they need hotel workers, ride-hailing service drivers and security personnel to be especially alert.

“We’re enlisting people to help law enforcement. Most of the cases begin with anonymous tips. That’s how we’ll catch these guys.”  Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody 
These are the people most likely to encounter the victims and perpetrators of trafficking — and would be able to provide authorities with tips and evidence of the crime taking place, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said at the “No Room for Trafficking” conference, held at the Fontainebleau Hotel.
The people most likely to be enslaved for sex work are young girls, officials said. They noted that events such as the Feb. 2 Super Bowl, with all its attendant parties, are ripe for human and sex trafficking. They also noted that trafficking occurs throughout the year, not just during major events.
“We’re enlisting people to help law enforcement,” said Moody, who chairs a statewide task force on human trafficking. “Most of the cases begin with anonymous tips. That’s how we’ll catch these guys.”
The hospitality industry is taking notice. Cecil Staton, president and CEO of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association, said it’s bad business for people who run hotels to allow human trafficking.
“No honest hotelier wants human trafficking on their property. We are all about collaboration,” Staton said.
Photo of Miami Dolphins wide receiver Albert Wilson
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Albert Wilson, left, speaks with Ray Martinez, executive director of the Miami Super Bowl Host Committee, during a meeting between law enforcement officials and hotel groups to announce a campaign to prevent human trafficking surrounding next month’s Super Bowl football game in the Miami area, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020, in Miami Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Authorities Want Ride-Hailing Services to Be Aware of What Is Being Said in Their Vehicles

Mary Rogers, vice president and general manager at the Fontainebleau, said all of the hotel’s employees receive regular training on possible signs of human trafficking : rooms where people come and go at all hours, cash payments and young women who never leave their rooms.

“It can happen to anyone. It’s important for me to use my platform to get the message out.” — Miami Dolphins wide receiver Albert Wilson
“We just encourage everyone to report anything they see that looks suspicious,” Rogers said. “We really, really encourage that culture.”
Similarly, authorities want ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft, as well as taxi drivers, to be aware of what is being said in their vehicles and to recognize when something doesn’t seem right. Moody was participating in a training event for Uber drivers later Thursday.
“It has to be a concerted effort that never stops,” said Chip Rogers, president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. “It will take all of our efforts to make this happen.”
Representing the NFL at Thursday’s event was Miami Dolphins wide receiver Albert Wilson, who said the human trafficking issue has special resonance to him because he grew up with five sisters.
“It can happen to anyone,” Wilson said. “It’s important for me to use my platform to get the message out.”
The office of Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle operates a hotline for tips and reports about human trafficking: 305-FIX-STOP or 305-349-7867.
“You can report it so we can stop it,” she said.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Man Killed in Head-On Collision Identified

DON'T MISS

California Allocates $56 Million to Combat Youth Homelessness

DON'T MISS

Let the Hunt for Fresno County Fruit Trail Delights Begin!

DON'T MISS

Fresno Police Arrest Suspect in Southwest Shooting Through Valley Crime Stoppers’ Tip

DON'T MISS

18 Injured in Knife Attack in Hamburg, Report Says

DON'T MISS

White House National Security Council Hit by More Firings, Sources Say

DON'T MISS

All Six People Aboard Plane That Crashed in San Diego Confirmed Dead

DON'T MISS

Explore the Wild Side of Route 66 With These Natural Wonders

DON'T MISS

Billy Joel Cancels Touring After Being Diagnosed With a Brain Disorder

DON'T MISS

Justice Department Reaches Deal to Allow Boeing to Avoid Prosecution Over 737 Max Crashes

UP NEXT

Team Penske Focused on Moving Forward After Shock Firings Following Indy 500 Cheating Scandal

UP NEXT

Braves Star Ronald Acuña Jr. to Return Friday From Left Knee Injury

UP NEXT

French Open 2025 Guide: How to Watch, Betting Odds and More to Know About Roland-Garros

UP NEXT

MVP Gilgeous-Alexander Scores 38 as Thunder Take 2-0 West Finals Lead

UP NEXT

Colts Owner Jim Irsay Remembered for Love of Football, Commitment to Music, Animal Welfare

UP NEXT

Thunder’s Gilgeous-Alexander Wins First NBA MVP Award

UP NEXT

Pacers Tie It on Haliburton’s Jumper at Buzzer, Then Beat Knicks in OT of East Finals Game 1

UP NEXT

Perez Powers Royals With 3 Hits, Including a Homer, in Win Over Giants

UP NEXT

Teoscar Hernández’s 3-Run Homer Off Corbin Burnes Lifts Dodgers Over D-backs

UP NEXT

What Travelers Should Know About This Messy Memorial Day Weekend

California’s High Living Costs and Rampant Poverty Sharpen Its Economic Divide

6 hours ago

Fresno County Man Killed in Head-On Collision Identified

19 hours ago

California Allocates $56 Million to Combat Youth Homelessness

20 hours ago

Let the Hunt for Fresno County Fruit Trail Delights Begin!

20 hours ago

Fresno Police Arrest Suspect in Southwest Shooting Through Valley Crime Stoppers’ Tip

20 hours ago

18 Injured in Knife Attack in Hamburg, Report Says

21 hours ago

White House National Security Council Hit by More Firings, Sources Say

21 hours ago

All Six People Aboard Plane That Crashed in San Diego Confirmed Dead

21 hours ago

Explore the Wild Side of Route 66 With These Natural Wonders

22 hours ago

Billy Joel Cancels Touring After Being Diagnosed With a Brain Disorder

23 hours ago

Daisy Can’t See or Hear, but She Knows How to Love

Daisy may not be able to see or hear, but the sweet senior pup always finds her way to the people she loves. “When Daisy first came to us, s...

4 hours ago

Blind and deaf, Daisy is a gentle senior pup who has blossomed in foster care and is now searching for a loving home. (Mell's Mutts)
4 hours ago

Daisy Can’t See or Hear, but She Knows How to Love

5 hours ago

How to Travel Without a Phone

5 hours ago

Chukchansi Casino Hosts Job Fair to Fill 80 Food and Beverage Positions

California Wealth and Poverty
6 hours ago

California’s High Living Costs and Rampant Poverty Sharpen Its Economic Divide

fresno
19 hours ago

Fresno County Man Killed in Head-On Collision Identified

20 hours ago

California Allocates $56 Million to Combat Youth Homelessness

20 hours ago

Let the Hunt for Fresno County Fruit Trail Delights Begin!

A Valley Crimes Stoppers tip and surveillance footage led Fresno police to arrest Andy Ramos on Thursday, May 22, 2025, who confessed to a May 11 shooting that left a man hospitalized in stable condition. (Fresno PD)
20 hours ago

Fresno Police Arrest Suspect in Southwest Shooting Through Valley Crime Stoppers’ Tip

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend