BUSINESS MODEL

Human trafficking in this type fronts as legitimate bars, restaurants, or clubs selling food and alcohol while exploiting victims for both sex and labor behind the scenes. Victims are forced to provide customers of the cantina with flirtatious companionship to entice them to purchase high- priced alcoholic beverages that often come with an explicit or implicit agreement for commercial sex acts as well. Polaris has identified several dis- tinct business models within this industry. These include bars and cantinas that are entirely run by organized human trafficking networks. However, at other locations traffickers have agreements with the business owners that allow them to operate prostitution rings out of the bar or cantina in exchange for a portion of the criminal profits. In addition to the cantina-like businesses, many strip clubs and go-go clubs are associated with this type of sex and labor trafficking.