Stop Human Trafficking

TABC is on the front lines of dismantling human trafficking organizations with connections to the alcoholic beverage industry. The Commission’s authority gives agents the unparalleled ability to uncover criminal enterprises that use bars, clubs, restaurants and other businesses to hide their illegal activity.

Since 2013, the agency has canceled the liquor permits of more than 130 businesses accused of engaging in organized crime, including human trafficking, narcotics trafficking and money laundering.

If the situation is an emergency or you believe someone is in immediate danger, you should first call 911 and alert the police that you think it might be human trafficking.

• The easiest way to report human trafficking to TABC is through the Alcohol Industry Management System (AIMS). Under the Public Actions section, click the File a Complaint button. You don’t have to create an AIMS account and you can choose to file anonymously. For help getting started, visit our How To Use AIMS page.
• Report suspicious activity to iWatch at iWatchTX.org or 24/7 by phone 844-643-2251.
• You can also report trafficking 24/7 to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 888-373-7888 or text 233733.  

Human traffickers use force, fraud or coercion to lure victims and force them into labor or commercial sexual exploitation. Traffickers look for people who are susceptible for various reasons, including psychological or emotional vulnerability, economic hardship, lack of a social safety net, natural disasters or political instability.

A University of Texas study conducted in 2016 estimates that there are more than 300,000 victims of human trafficking in Texas, including 79,000 young victims of sex trafficking.

In 2019, the Texas Legislature made preventing human trafficking a TABC priority. Our agency is uniquely positioned in the fight against these crimes.

Request a half-hour education session for your business, either in person or virtually, on how to identify and anonymously report suspected human trafficking. This is tailored for personnel who have a presence in various alcohol retail establishments and who frequently observe and/or interact with patrons and employees of such establishments.

TABC regularly partners with law enforcement and other agencies to conduct human trafficking operations and investigations. If you’re a member of a law enforcement organization or a government agency and you’d like to work with TABC to combat trafficking, call 512-206-3301.

After shutting down a human trafficking operation, victims need support. TABC partners with nongovernmental organizations to help the victims of these crimes. If you want to partner with TABC to improve the lives of human trafficking victims, call 512-206-3301.