The Brief
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Police dismantled a human trafficking ring that operated around Metro Detroit after a months-long investigation by West Bloomfield police.
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Law enforcement identified three people who ran the operation and two have been arraigned in the case.
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The operation involved massage parlors in multiple cities around Southeast Michigan.
WEST BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (FOX 2) – Two women from Farmington Hills and Southfield have been arraigned in connection with a human trafficking operation that worked in several Metro Detroit cities.
West Bloomfield police led a six-month investigation, which uncovered a money-laundering ring as well.
What we know
West Bloomfield police announced the conclusion of a six-month investigation into human trafficking on Monday, identifying two suspects that were taken into custody and charged in connection with the case.
Runping Huang (left) and Chunxiu Xu have both been charged in connection with a human trafficking investigation in Metro Detroit.
Runping Huang, 61, of Southfield, and Chunxiu Xu, 46, of Farmington Hills, were each arraigned in separate district courts on counts relating to operating a human trafficking enterprise.
Both are suspected of running the criminal ring out of multiple cities, including Novi, Farmington, and Livonia, according to police.
In a news release from West Bloomfield police, detectives found women had been transported from out of state into Michigan and were coerced into performing commercial sex acts out of massage parlors.
Dig deeper
The investigation was overseen by the SONIC Task Force and involved help from police agencies Novi, Farmington Hills, Shelby Township, and other groups in Oakland County, including the Care House.
“Nobody wants this in their neighborhood,” said Cmdr. Kristie Gruenwald, Novi police. “Nobody wants any kind of crime in their neighborhood. It’s important for them to know that this is not, does not pose an active threat to the community and that the investigation was really targeted in scope.”
Police identified three suspects in the case, arresting two of them.
Xu was charged with one count of human trafficking enterprise and transporting a person for prostitution in the Novi District Court.
Huang was charged in Southfield District Court, being arraigned with human trafficking enterprise, operating an enterprise resulting in injury or commercial sexual activity, prostitution – accepting earnings, and prostitution – transporting person.
The victims are receiving help, Gruenwald said.
“We worked with nonprofit organizations and community groups to make sure (the victims) that they had any resources that they need, whether that be safe housing, financial or legal assistance, any type of counseling,” she said. “And that’s what they are getting right now.”
What we don’t know
West Bloomfield Police said a third suspect had been identified, but did not provide any details.
The Source
West Bloomfield police provided information for this story.
