Brooklyn Center hotel raids rescue 17 trafficking victims; 28 arrests, 7 guns seized
Brooklyn Center police say early-morning raids on Sept. 9 at several area hotels rescued 17 women and underage girls identified as human trafficking victims.[1] Officers executing the operation made 28 arrests and seized seven firearms and about $43,494 in cash.[1]
Officers executed 31 search warrants: 17 at the Travelodge, 12 at the Super 8, one at the Baymont and one at Suburban Studios.[1] More than 250 personnel and seven SWAT teams took part in the raids, which police say ended without injuries.[1] FOX 9 reported it could identify only about a dozen people booked into Hennepin County Jail after the raids; nearly all have since been released and none were formally charged as of the Sept. 16 update.[1]
A federal civil lawsuit filed in 2023 alleges a 15-year-old was sex trafficked at the Brooklyn Center Super 8 in 2013 and forced to see between seven and 20 men a day over multiple days.[2] The complaint says hotel staff observed common trafficking indicators — visible bruising, a minor in provocative clothing in public areas, and blood on linens — but did not act, and the plaintiff later sued former operators and the Super 8 franchise.[2]
Brooklyn Center Police Chief Garett Flesland said the current trafficking, drug and firearms investigation at the same Super 8 began about a year ago and called it the most complex probe of his 26-year career.[3] He said no hotel staff were arrested during the Sept. 9 raids and that possible staff involvement remains under investigation.[2]
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📌 Key Facts
- During the Sept. 9 Brooklyn Center hotel raids, police identified 17 women and underage girls as human trafficking victims who are being connected with services.
- Officers executed 31 search warrants — 17 at the Travelodge, 12 at the Super 8, one at the Baymont and one at Suburban Studios — during early-morning raids that ended without injuries.
- The operation resulted in 28 arrests and the recovery of seven firearms, a “significant quantity” of suspected controlled substances and about $43,494 in cash.
- As of the Sept. 16, 2026 update, FOX 9 could identify only about a dozen people booked into Hennepin County Jail, nearly all of whom have since been released and none yet formally charged.
- A federal civil lawsuit filed in 2023 alleges a 15-year-old was sex trafficked at the Brooklyn Center Super 8 in 2013 and forced to see between seven and 20 men a day over multiple days; the plaintiff says she ultimately escaped and is suing the former owners/operators and the Super 8 franchise.
- The complaint says hotel staff observed trafficking indicators — visible bruising from beatings, a minor in provocative clothing in common areas, and blood on towels and linens — yet allegedly failed to act.
- Brooklyn Center Police Chief Garett Flesland said the current trafficking/drug/firearms investigation at the same Super 8 began about a year ago and described it as the most complex and large-scale probe of his 26-year career; no staff were arrested during the raids and possible staff involvement remains under investigation.
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Police now say 17 women and underage girls were identified as human trafficking victims during the Sept. 9 Brooklyn Center hotel raids and are being connected with services.
- Officers executed 31 search warrants in total: 17 at the Travelodge, 12 at the Super 8, one at the Baymont and one at Suburban Studios.
- The operation led to 28 arrests, recovery of seven firearms, a “significant quantity” of suspected controlled substances and about $43,494 in cash.
- More than 250 personnel and seven SWAT teams took part in the early-morning hotel raids, which police say ended without any injuries.
- As of the update, FOX 9 could identify only about a dozen people booked into Hennepin County Jail, nearly all of whom have since been released and none yet formally charged, highlighting the gap between arrest numbers and filed charges.
- A federal civil lawsuit filed in 2023 alleges a 15-year-old girl was sex trafficked at the Brooklyn Center Super 8 in 2013, forced to see between seven and 20 men a day over multiple days.
- The complaint says hotel staff observed widely taught trafficking indicators — visible bruising from beatings, a minor in provocative clothing in common areas, and blood on towels and linens — yet allegedly failed to act.
- The plaintiff ultimately escaped by secretly using her trafficker’s laptop to message for help; two traffickers were arrested soon after, and she is now suing the former owners/operators and the Super 8 franchise in federal court.
- In court filings, the former operators deny knowing about or profiting from trafficking at the hotel.
- Brooklyn Center Police Chief Garett Flesland said the current trafficking/drug/firearms investigation at the same Super 8 began about a year ago and described it as the most complex and large-scale probe of his 26-year career; no staff were arrested during Wednesday’s raid, and possible staff involvement remains under investigation.