BrownCafe

United Way Worldwide and UPS are ramping up their efforts to fight human trafficking just in time for United Nation’s World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on July 30.

The partnership is fueled by a $3 million fund, raised by UPS employees who have provided charitable contributions for these efforts for the past two years as part of the organization’s giving program.

Crammed into a single motel room with three adults, a dozen youngsters were sent into the streets to sell candy. The sales team put in long hours and stayed out well past dark. They were told to pay for their own food with $2 to $3 an hour in pay — and had to deliver cash to their bosses daily.

The arrest of Shawn Floyd, an Indianapolis man charged a year ago with multiple felony human trafficking charges in Bowling Green, according to court records, drew little notice until the Kentucky Attorney General’s office levied more serious charges in February.

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents cited a St. Martinville woman on July 18 for alleged littering violations in St. Mary Parish. Agents cited Dina Noble, 45, for gross littering.

Agents were on patrol on June 24 on N. Penn Rd. near Charenton in St. Mary Parish when they found seven unopened United Parcel Services (UPS) packages in the ditch that were supposed to be delivered to different addresses in the area, according to LDWF. Agents started an investigation and found that Noble was the UPS delivery driver for this route on June 23 when it was suspected the packages were put in the ditch.

District police are on the lookout for two men that are considered suspects.