Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – Jan. 24, 2025 – Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin detailed a statewide human trafficking operation bust, which resulted in the arrest of two Jonesboro women, in a press conference on Friday.

The bust was a part of Operation Obscured Vision, an initiative started to target “illicit massage parlors.” The operation received 12 search warrants for several massage parlors across Arkansas, including Jonesboro, Russellville, Harrison, Rogers, Hot Springs, and a hotel in Little Rock. Griffin did not specify which hotel in Little Rock was searched.

“Many of the women working in these illicit massage parlors are coerced to do so. One victim we interviewed stated that she is forced to work seven days a week, 13 hours per day,” Griffin said.

Four women, all Chinese nationals according to Griffin, were arrested. They are 55-year-old Hongliang Cai and 53-year-old Chen Qing of Jonesboro, 54-year-old Haiyan Lu of Harrison, and 50-year-old Chunli Wang of Rogers. The mugshots for Hongliang and Qing are below.

Hongliang was arrested Jan. 23 at 2:35 p.m. and was released at 5:21 p.m. Qing was arrested Jan. 23 at 2:46 p.m. and was released at 5:17 p.m. Craighead County Sheriff Marty Boyd said they were released due to lack of space at the Craighead County Detention Center.

“They were brought in under misdemeanor arrests, and we don’t have any space for misdemeanor females right now,” he said.

Both women were charged with second-degree promoting prostitution. According to Arkansas law, this is a Class A misdemeanor, which carries a fine of up to $2,500 and/or imprisonment for up to one year.

 

“Without going into details, I’ll tell you, the individuals arrested, the four women and the operations that we targeted, we’re going to continue to do this around the state, but they are woven into a network that goes far beyond our borders,” Griffin said. “This is a national, international network.”

The operation resulted in the identification of 17 victims and aid to 16 of those victims. Victims ranged in ages from 29 to 65. Griffin said one of these victims might not have chosen to receive aid due to possible shock.

Megan Brown, the cofounder, Board President, & Executive Director of Hope Found of Northeast Arkansas, said the organization is serving three of the 17 victims. Hope Found NEA partnered with the NWA Sexual Assault Center and the Forensic Nursing Team to provide medical services to the victims.

“We offered the women housing, employment, food, clothing, we just offered a variety of services to them,” Brown said. “The main thing is really just offering them comfort and support. They’re working in a place that they could [have] be being held against their will.”

In addition to the four arrests, agents seized $70,000 cash, ¥1,870 in Chinese currency, and a Mercedes-Benz. The Jonesboro Police Department, Harrison Police Department, Rogers Police Department, Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Russellville Police Department, Hot Springs Police Department, Arkansas State Police, Arkansas State Fusion Center and the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office Special Investigations Division aided in the effort.

“This operation is just a first step. The intelligence and evidence obtained through Operation Obscured Vision will be used in ongoing investigations and will aid in targeting similar massage parlors elsewhere in the state,” Griffin said. “The criminals who run these establishments and the men who patronize them are on notice. We are coming for you, and we will put an end to this horrific practice of exploiting women through human trafficking.”

To learn how to spot illicit massage businesses, click here.

To contact Hope Found NEA for help, call 877-688-HOPE (4673). To contact the Family Crisis Center, call (870) 972-9575.