LUMBERTON — Adams Beverages partnered Monday with the National Beer Wholesalers Association to train its employees on how to recognize and report the warning signs of human trafficking.
Adams Beverages’ efforts are part of a nationwide campaign to help combat human trafficking in communities across the United States, according to the company.
“As a local business, Adams Beverages is always looking for ways to make a difference in our community,” said Clay Adams, company president. “Sadly, every community is vulnerable to the horrors of human trafficking, and our distribution areas are no exception.”
Employees of Adams Beverages, which has a facility on Caton Road in Lumberton, visit hundreds of licensed retail locations each week, and are now prepared to be an extra set of eyes and ears on the ground in the fight against human trafficking.
Beer distributors collectively visit more than 640,000 retail establishments across the country, including bars, restaurants, hotels, convenience stores, package stores, sports arenas and grocery stores, according to NBWA. They are uniquely positioned to combat human trafficking because of their access to locations at accounts often unseen by the public.
To help distributors understand human trafficking, identify the signs, and respond if they suspect trafficking is happening, NBWA partnered with Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healy, Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, and Executive Director of Street Grace Camila Zolfaghari to produce an awareness training video.
More than 550 of Adams Beverages employees participated in the awareness training session, which included a viewing of the video. Adams Beverages employees also were equipped with contact information to alert authorities if they spot suspicious behaviors and tip cards containing red-flag behaviors to carry with them as they visit accounts.
Human trafficking continues to be a major issue across the state. According to a recent study, more than 1,500 instances of human trafficking have been reported in North Carolina since 2007.
