The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has announced the creation of a new unit focusing on human trafficking operations. The Human Exploitation and Trafficking (HEAT) unit was announced at a press conference Wednesday, alongside Governor Brian Kemp.
The unit will focus on enforcement efforts of commercial sex trafficking, labor trafficking, and rescuing adult trafficking victims.
GBI Director Vic Reynolds announced the task force, saying this means a more in-depth look at the crimes, looking at it from every aspect, including the financial aspect. According to Reynolds, the ultimate vision is that it become a multi-agency task force with participation from local, state and federal partners.
Reynolds said he is excited to see this team come together. “I’m particularly pleased with the fact that we will be looking at the labor trafficking in the state. We haven’t done very much of that and so we are very excited to be working in that area and I’m convinced we will be making cases in there, as well.”
Wanting to convey a message to those involved in trafficking, Reynolds addressed them directly, “We will not tolerate this behavior in the state of Georgia. We intend on pursing these cases in every corner in the state of Georgia. … As the governor has said before, and the first lady has repeatedly said, you will not sell human beings in the state of Georgia. We are committed to ending this scourge of modern day slavery and we are committed to ending it now.”
There is already a unit in place that focuses on child crimes – the Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit – and they will continue in those efforts.
