Zengguang “Gary” Liu has been arrested in connection with human trafficking operations in Hot Springs, Attorney General Tim Griffin revealed on Thursday.
Operation Obscured Vision began on Jan. 23 of this year with coordinated law enforcement actions targeting unlicensed massage businesses in Harrison, Hot Springs, Jonesboro, Little Rock, Rogers and Russellville. Additional operations took place in Hot Springs on May 22 and July 28.
Since the operation’s start, search warrants have been executed at 13 businesses, resulting in seven arrests. Two arrest warrants remain active. Six of those arrested are citizens of China, three of whom are naturalized U.S. citizens.
Active warrants have been issued for Junfang Li and Yuanbo Xi, both 53 years old and citizens of China. Authorities believe they may have left the United States.
Officials have identified 23 individuals believed to be victims, with 22 accepting assistance services. All identified victims are citizens of China.
In total, more than $107,000 in currency has been seized, primarily in U.S. dollars, with some currency from China, Turkey, Thailand, Mexico, the UAE and Serbia.
Griffin’s statement on the arrest of Liu reads, in part:
Earlier this week, following a lengthy investigation by my Special Investigations Division, Zengguang Liu was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Oklahoma City Police Department, and agents from my office served warrants on him in Oklahoma City. Liu is a naturalized U.S. citizen from China, and he owns and operates multiple illicit massage businesses in Hot Springs.
On July 28, agents from my office raided three illicit massage businesses in Hot Springs: AI Massage, Magic Massage, and Diamond Massage. These raids were part of our ongoing ‘Operation Obscured Vision,’ which began in January. Three female victims, all Chinese nationals, were provided services following these most recent raids. Information gathered during the raids indicated that Liu was the owner of all three businesses and likely owned other such establishments elsewhere in the country.
Thanks to the outstanding assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service, the Oklahoma City Police Department, and Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, we were able to track Liu and take him into custody. He is facing charges in Garland County of trafficking of persons, an A Felony, and unauthorized use of another person’s property to facilitate certain crimes, a B Felony.
To read Griffin’s full statement, click here.
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