Chapter 95

Director Zhang asked Wang Jiefang to come along, actually for four reasons.

1. To familiarize with the route; 2. To deepen understanding and facilitate future communication;

3. For out-of-area arrests, two official police officers are required. In the anti-human trafficking team, only Han Bo is an official officer, and Wang Jiefang can make up the numbers; 4. The anti-human trafficking team is newly established, the sign hasn't been hung, and the credentials haven't been updated. It's easier for the deputy chief of the criminal investigation team to request assistance from the local police department than for a township police commissioner to do so.

Dismantling a human trafficking den, the follow-up work can only be handed over to the local police department. The task of coordinating with the Jiangyang Municipal Bureau naturally fell to Wang Jiefang.

It was inappropriate to find the leadership of the municipal bureau (a county-level city) at night, and it might not have been possible to find them.

First, they found the police station, asked for directions at the train station in car No. 7, and around 2:30 AM, he returned with a deputy chief and three security officers.

The public has a negative view of the police, creating rhymes like "First-class police are traffic cops, standing on the road to collect fees randomly."

In fact, the police are not as selfless, great, and glorious as they are portrayed, nor are they as incapable as the rhymes suggest. Among all government departments, they are the hardest-working. Deputy Chief Jiang's current mental state reflects the police's own rhyme:

One call, two blank eyes,

Three in the middle of the night, four weak limbs.

Five organs, six parts scattered,

Over time, ten times the pain.

A hundred helpless, a thousand routine,

Ten thousand no choice, crawl out of bed.

Without prior notice, calling people in the middle of the night to clean up the mess made Han Bo very embarrassed. He offered a cigarette and said apologetically, "Deputy Chief Jiang, I'm sorry, we have no choice. If we delay, we might not catch these two."

Not following the rules, Deputy Chief Jiang was very unhappy, pushed away the cigarette, and asked with a yawn, "Did the main culprit escape?"

"We analyzed that he is likely hiding nearby, observing."

What does hiding nearby and observing mean? Helping you clean up the mess, do you also want me to help with the investigation?

Deputy Chief Jiang nodded indifferently, walked around inside and out, and instructed everyone to take the suspects and the rescued women to the station first, leaving two security officers to guard the scene.

The two suspects should be handed over to them according to regulations. Meng Shiyong cannot be, as he was caught in Sigan and is a suspect of the Sigan County Public Security Bureau. They can interrogate him, but someone from Sigan must be present during the interrogation.

Taking over the rescued women is no problem, they were more than willing. But when they noticed something was wrong, they were told to stay in the car.

The police station was small, a small courtyard with two rows of old houses.

On duty were a deputy chief and a community police officer. Interrogating the two suspects in two offices, it was unknown how long it would take. The meeting room had a few broken chairs, making it uncomfortable to sit. Han Bo returned to the car, reclined the seat, and took a nap.

The driver is hardworking; not sleeping for a while would be unsafe on the way back.

Old Mi escorted Meng Shiyong onto car No. 7, along with three other security officers to guard the suspects and the rescued "mentally ill" woman, and let Xiao Dan and Chen Meng sleep in the SUV.

The arrangements were meticulous, and Wang Jiefang was surprised by the responsibility and dedication, finding it hard to believe he was a temporary worker.

Han Bo fell asleep as soon as he lay down, and Xiao Dan and Chen Meng did the same. When they woke up, it was already bright outside, and there were five or six people in the courtyard speaking the Jiangyang dialect, whispering around car No. 7 like they were at a zoo.

"Two birds on a tree, green mountains and clear waters with smiling faces, picking a flower, I and my wife wear it in our hair, from now on no more slavery, husband and wife return home, you plow the field, I weave the cloth..."

It turned out the woman was singing again, and the more people there were, the more enthusiastic she became. She switched from Fengyang flower drum to Huangmei opera, and by her accent, she was from Anhui Province.

"Awake?" Wang Jiefang appeared by the car window, lit a cigarette, and asked.

"What time is it?" Han Bo yawned and looked at the row of offices opposite.

"8:20."

Wang Jiefang looked back and said in his hometown dialect, "A deputy director came. I briefly introduced the situation, and he didn't say much, just went in to have a meeting with the station. From Deputy Chief Jiang's tone, it seems we won't be able to take the two suspects."

"Can't take them?"

"They have over a dozen cases here, and they seem to have confessed to a few more people. Deputy Chief Jiang and the officer from last night just returned from an arrest, and the detention room is holding seven or eight people."

Theft cases, no clues, no way to solve them. With a clue, one lead can solve a series of cases.

The two suspects from last night had confessed, and the police station's actions were expected. Han Bo rubbed his eyes and asked, "What about the temporary residence permit? Can they verify Hao Li's identity?"

Economic development is one thing, but being stingy is another.

Afraid of trouble, they didn't allow the rescued woman to enter the office.

With a clue, they were busy organizing forces for the arrest, ignoring the colleagues from the police department. A breakfast wouldn't cost much, and they didn't even offer it, treating us like no one from Sigan Public Security Bureau was there.

If you go to Sigan in the future, we won't give you a good face either.

Wang Jiefang cursed under his breath and said in a low voice, "Special industry management is inadequate, creating such a big loophole. There are also problems with the management of migrant population. Only Gui Sulan's record exists, no registration for Hao Li or Meng Shiyong."

Waste material recycling is a special industry that requires police approval before applying for a business license from the commerce department. A suspected unlicensed waste material recycling station involved in kidnapping, imprisonment, and human trafficking in the jurisdiction clearly indicates a significant loophole in the special industry management of the police station.

Inadequate work, harboring criminals in the jurisdiction, allowing an unlicensed waste material recycling station to become a hub for human trafficking.

Han Bo also had a lot of complaints about this police station.

Opening the car door, he was about to find a faucet to wash his face when a leader-like figure came out of the meeting room. Wang Jiefang quickly extinguished his cigarette and went forward to introduce himself.

Deputy Director Wan of the Jiangyang Municipal Public Security Bureau, the "friend" mentioned by Director Zhang.

"Comrade Xiao Han, you've worked hard. My phone was charging, so I didn't receive Director Zhang's call last night. I got it this morning. You did a good job, traveling over 200 kilometers to dismantle a human trafficking den and assist our municipal bureau in solving over a dozen theft cases. I will call Director Zhang and recommend you for commendation."

I assisted you, you should assist me, right?

What are a dozen theft cases compared to the severe case of trafficking over twenty women?

The more Han Bo thought, the more depressed he became. He said firmly, "Report to Deputy Director Wan, we are investigating a criminal gang that has kidnapped and trafficked over ten women, a major case with a terrible impact. We need to report to our Nan Gang Municipal Bureau and even the provincial department, and inform the Women's Federation. It's likely that the higher-ups will soon take it up as a key case."

Young man, human trafficking is serious, but it's not as simple as you think.

Sigan is the destination, Jiangyang is the transit point. To thoroughly investigate this case and gather evidence, the police department from the source area must also be involved.

The trafficked women come from seven or eight provinces and over a dozen counties and cities. The provincial department can't coordinate, the Ministry of Public Security must.

Solving such a case costs a fortune. Who will cover the expenses?

Therefore, the focus of anti-human trafficking efforts in various places is mainly on rescuing trafficked women. Bringing the traffickers to justice is difficult.

Deputy Director Wan didn't bother to explain to a young officer and took out his phone, smiling, "Comrade Xiao Han, go have some breakfast first. I'll call your bureau's leadership."

"No need, we brought provisions. There's bread, ham, and water in the car."

"Alright, eat first. Work is important, but so is eating."

Back in the car, he took a few bites of bread when Director Zhang's call came. The leader said enthusiastically on the phone, "Xiao Han, you did a great job. The leadership of the Jiangyang Municipal Bureau highly praised you, saying you were brave and didn't disgrace the Sigan County Public Security Bureau. The main culprit escaped, but we can catch him next time. Hand over the two suspects and the rescued women to the Jiangyang Municipal Bureau, and bring Meng Shiyong back. Pay attention to safety on the way."

"Director Zhang..."

"Let me finish. They have a mental hospital (the police's mental hospital) and a specialized detention center. We don't have a mental hospital, and our detention center is also a holding facility. How would we arrange for the people we bring back? This is a good thing, understand?"

This is probably a condition. I hand over the two suspects to you, helping you solve a series of theft cases, but you must also take over the "mentally ill" woman.

Bringing the people back would indeed be a hassle.

Han Bo weighed the options and smiled bitterly, "Director Zhang, I will follow your orders."

"Thought it through?"

"Thought it through. I am first a police commissioner of Liangzhuang Township and second the captain of the anti-human trafficking team. Continuing the investigation may not lead to a breakthrough, and there's no guarantee of funding. It could also affect my main duties. There are so many issues at home, over thirty cases of buying wives to handle, and the security situation is getting more severe as the New Year approaches. We can't invest too much energy in this case."

"You have a sense of the bigger picture, indeed not disappointing me. As you said, there are priorities. We need to focus on our main duties first. Almost forgot, the county committee decided last night to launch a half-month anti-human trafficking special operation involving the police, procuratorate, court, judicial department, Women's Federation, civil affairs, and family planning. You are the main player, come back quickly, and Director Ji will brief you on the specific tasks when you return."