Law enforcement arrests 12 people in Macomb County in human trafficking investigation – Macomb Daily

Six people were arrested as authorities executed a search warrant at Healing Plus Spa on Mound Road in Sterling Heights as part of a human trafficking investigation. (GOOGLE IMAGES)

Two teams of federal, county and local law enforcement agents raided two Macomb County massage parlors and two area residences Wednesday morning as part of an ongoing human trafficking investigation humans, officials said.

Authorities said a total of 12 people from the four targeted locations were arrested.

The Macomb County Sheriff's Enforcement Team (SET), along with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Sterling Heights Police Department and FBI-Macomb, served at 7 a.m. search warrants at the following locations:

• 25 Health Spa, 54798 Shelby Road in Shelby Township
• Healing Plus Spa, 39573 Mound Road in Sterling Heights
• A residence in Macomb Township
• A residence in Shelby Township

“All search warrants were due to a suspected human trafficking operation,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

Six people were arrested by the sheriff's office and six others by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Officials said they were conducting interviews with those detained. The investigation is ongoing, they added.

Sterling Heights Police Chief Dale Dwojakowski said his department will use every resource in its power to shut down businesses suspected of being involved in human trafficking and hold the owners accountable.

“This case highlights the united front of federal, state and local law enforcement in tackling the global human trafficking crisis,” Dwojakowski said.

According to the government, human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain a certain type of work or commercial sex act. Every year, millions of men, women, and children are trafficked around the world, including in the United States.

Sheriff's Office officials said more information would be released soon about the investigation as well as an update on those arrested Wednesday.

If you or someone you know is involved in human trafficking, help is available by calling the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888.