California Human Trafficking Sting Nets 600 Arrests, Rescues 170 Victims Including Children
California law enforcement completed a weeklong, statewide crackdown on human trafficking that resulted in over 600 arrests and the rescue of 170 victims, including children as young as 13.
Dubbed “Operation Reclaim and Rebuild,” the initiative brought together local, state, and federal agencies to dismantle residential brothels and target both traffickers and sex buyers across the state.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said the operation focused on known trafficking corridors, including the Figueroa Street Corridor in South Los Angeles, Western Avenue in Koreatown, and the Sepulveda Corridor in the San Fernando Valley.
“Human trafficking and child exploitation are devastating crimes that target the most vulnerable amongst us,” Luna said, highlighting the particularly high risk to minors forced into sexual labor.
Authorities confirmed that 156 adults and 14 children were rescued statewide, with many of the victims recovered in Los Angeles County.
Several of the minors were transported from other states, including Illinois, Oklahoma, and Missouri.
During the operation, law enforcement also seized firearms and other weapons, underscoring the violent and organized nature of the trafficking networks.
Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton of the Los Angeles Police Department emphasized that rescuing victims is only the first step in their recovery.
Dubbed “Operation Reclaim and Rebuild,” the initiative brought together local, state, and federal agencies to dismantle residential brothels and target both traffickers and sex buyers across the state.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said the operation focused on known trafficking corridors, including the Figueroa Street Corridor in South Los Angeles, Western Avenue in Koreatown, and the Sepulveda Corridor in the San Fernando Valley.
“Human trafficking and child exploitation are devastating crimes that target the most vulnerable amongst us,” Luna said, highlighting the particularly high risk to minors forced into sexual labor.
Authorities confirmed that 156 adults and 14 children were rescued statewide, with many of the victims recovered in Los Angeles County.
Several of the minors were transported from other states, including Illinois, Oklahoma, and Missouri.
During the operation, law enforcement also seized firearms and other weapons, underscoring the violent and organized nature of the trafficking networks.
Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton of the Los Angeles Police Department emphasized that rescuing victims is only the first step in their recovery.
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