The Kentucky Attorney General’s Office is linking with wholesale beer distributors in an effort to detect and report more human trafficking crimes.
Kentucky Beer Wholesalers Association’s Tate Russell said more than 1600 employees statewide from delivery drivers, to sales reps, to merchandizing, to upper management are being trained on signs of human trafficking. “They’re in a submissive role to somebody and it feels extremely uncomfortable. They also can look for situations going on behind the scenes, if there’s a chain on a random door, so nobody else can get in there, except for the person who’s conducting the trafficking,” said Russell.
Russell said another example would be detecting living conditions in the back of a restaurant or warehouse. And she noted it’s not restricted to any one particular business. Heather Wagers of the A-G’s Office said a western Kentucky region experienced a 150% increase in child victims over the last nine months compared to last year. She says both children and adults are victims.
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron participated in the announcement in Lexington. He said the drug epidemic can make individuals vulnerable. Cameron added any civil suit monies Kentucky may receive from opioid manufacturers and distributors could go toward efforts to reduce human trafficking. “We get those dollars in, help with abatement, help with restoring hope, renewing a sense of faith and integrity and getting people back on their feet and out of the chain of addiction. I think that will help break the cycle of not only addiction, but also break the cycle on human trafficking and help with those numbers,” said Cameron.
Tate Russell said delivery drivers and salespeople often get a view of business operations not seen by the public. She noted company employees work with groceries, liquor stores, restaurants, bars, hotels, and events.
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