While conducting an international human trafficking investigation, FBI agents discovered American men who were attempting to purchase women from Asia who they knew to be taken against their will to serve as sex and domestic slaves.

The operation began with an online ad originating out of Malaysia that offered kidnapped women for sale. The ad turned out to be a money-making scheme, but the incredible response to the ad induced investigators to put up their own ad targeting the same clientele.

The operation led to the arrest, indictment, and incarceration of four men who had each individually created prison cells in their own homes in which to house and hurt the women, whom they were willing to purchase for thousands of dollars.

The agents expressed relief that they were able to act proactively and prevent anyone from coming to harm.

For more details, visit the press release on the FBI’s website here.