Human trafficking growing on the Eastern Shore

Human trafficking nationally is on the rise according to the national human trafficking resource center. Here on the Eastern Shore we aren’t excluded, just last summer a human trafficking ring spanning into Delaware that was run out the America’s Best Value Inn in Salisbury was brought to justice.

“I think the Bridell case exposed what was under the surface bubbling and I think people, well we’re trying to make the public more aware,” said Wicomico County Senior assistant State’s Attorney Kristen Shultz.

Shultz prosecuted Cornelius Bridell and his four co – conspirators for their roles in a human trafficking operation.

Shultz says heroin is fueling many of these human trafficking crimes here on Delmarva.

“The heroin epidemic has allowed these traffickers to find something that is so controlling over people that they can either withhold it and they’ll do anything to get it or they’re so terrified of it they will do anything not to be injected with it,” Shultz said.

The solution, at least in Maryland, may in part lie in legislation proposed in the state house this month.

House bill 219, that would make human trafficking felony rather than a misdemeanor and House Bill 292, that would require police to be trained to look for and treat human trafficking crimes.

But as for what you can do starting right now, officials say people need to speak up.

“If we can get the public to start just opening their eyes a little bit and then we can get the law enforcement to start asking the follow up questions I think we can really combat,” Shultz said.