This month, the Texas Department of Public Safety is reminding Texans to be vigilant and educate themselves about the dangers of human trafficking as part of Human Trafficking Prevention Month.

“This happens everywhere in every community, in every neighborhood,” DPS spokesperson Sgt. Maria Hernandez said. 

DPS defines human trafficking as the use of force, fraud or coercion in any type of labor exploitation or commercial sex act – or when an individual under the age of 18 is involved in commercial sex.

A report provided by DPS shows that 690 people were arrested in the state between September 2024 and August 2025 on human smuggling charges. 

A total of 119 victims were recovered during that same time period, DPS said.

DPS reminds Texans to remain observant of their communities and take note of the following possible indicators of human trafficking:

- A person appears to be under the control of another person either physically (someone else controls the person’s possessions i.e., ID, money, phone) or psychologically (little to no eye contact, unable to speak for themselves or unable to make simple decisions without approval).

- A person has little to no awareness of their surroundings, including where they are or where they are headed.

- A person has an untreated illness or infection, visible injuries, or appears malnourished or sleep-deprived.

- A person’s clothing is inappropriate for the weather or environment or is dressed in a manner that does not appear age-appropriate or makes them appear older.

- A person is being transported to and from work by their employer.

- A person lives where they work or works excessively long or unusual hours.

- A person’s workplace has security measures that are unusual or excessive for the type of business (i.e., boarded or opaque windows, excessive security cameras).

The public is encouraged to report human trafficking by calling 911 or by filing a report online.