Law enforcement stormed a flooring manufacturer in Cartersville, Georgia in connection with what the FBI described as an “active, ongoing labor trafficking investigation.”

According to a news release, agents from the FBI, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other law enforcement partners entered the Wellmade Industries building to execute federal search warrants, alleging the company of using fraud and coercion to persuade Chinese nationals and other immigrants to work. The agents also carried out search warrants at multiple residences in the area.

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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that ICE spokesperson Lindsay Williams said the operation targeted allegations of labor trafficking and financial crimes related to Wellmade’s practices.

Williams noted that the facility’s owner was arrested on state charges. Fox 5 Atlanta identified the owner as Zhu Chen and reported that Jiayi Chen, who authorities said is Chen’s nephew, was also arrested.

Fox 5 cited an anonymous former company employee who described “unsafe conditions,” “overcrowded housing” and a rotating shift system that transported workers between their homes and work.

According to Wellmade’s website, the 328,000-square-foot Cartersville facility produces over 100,000 square feet of flooring annually.

FBI - Atlanta stated that it brought in a victim specialist and 20 linguists to assist the dozens of potential victims at the facility. The agency estimates that labor trafficking accounts for 6% of its human trafficking cases.

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WEBVTTX-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:000:00.239 --> 00:03.069Law enforcement stormed a flooring manufacturerin Cartersville,00:03.079 --> 00:07.280Georgia in connection with what the FBIdescribed as an active ongoing labor00:07.280 --> 00:08.590trafficking investigation.00:08.890 --> 00:13.159According to a news release, agents from theFBI, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement or00:13.159 --> 00:17.559ICE, and other law enforcement partners enteredthe well-made industry's building to execute00:17.559 --> 00:22.200federal search warrants, alleging the companyof using fraud and coercion to persuade Chinese00:22.200 --> 00:23.870nationals and other immigrants to work.00:24.135 --> 00:27.676The agents also carried out search warrants atmultiple residences in the area.00:27.875 --> 00:32.236The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported thatICE spokesperson Lindsay Williams said the00:32.236 --> 00:36.195operation targeted allegations of labortrafficking and financial crimes related to00:36.195 --> 00:39.276Well Made's practices.Williams noted that the facility's owner was00:39.276 --> 00:43.585arrested on state charges.Fox 5 Atlanta identified the owner as Zu Chen00:43.585 --> 00:46.916and reported that Jia Yi Chen, who authoritiessaid is Chen's nephew,00:47.066 --> 00:50.551was also arrested.Fox 5 cited an anonymous former company00:50.551 --> 00:54.312employee who described unsafe conditions,overcrowded housing,00:54.422 --> 00:58.391and a rotating shift system that transportedworkers between their homes and work.00:58.512 --> 01:03.271According to Well Made's website, the 328,000square foot Cartersville facility produces over01:03.271 --> 01:07.832100,000 square feet of flooring annually.FBI Atlanta stated that it brought in a victim01:07.832 --> 01:11.872specialist and 20 linguists to assist thedozens of potential victims at the facility.01:12.209 --> 01:16.529The agency estimates that labor traffickingaccounts for 6% of its human trafficking cases.01:16.730 --> 01:18.650I'm Nolan Bte.This is manufacturing now.