450 Held, Dozens Rescued In California Human Trafficking Crackdown

LOS ANGELES — Authorities say a statewide operation to fight human trafficking in California has ended with 450 arrests and the rescue of dozens of victims, including children.

“Operation Reclaim and Rebuild” involved 100 federal, state and local law enforcement agents conducting a week-long effort that ended on Monday.

At a Los Angeles news conference Thursday, authorities say they rescued 39 victims statewide, including 13 children. One of them was a 15-year-old girl who had been reported missing from Nevada. Authorities say she was found after San Luis Obispo County investigators arranged a meeting through an online sex ad. Her alleged trafficker was captured.

“The goal of the operation was simply to rescue and recover victims of human trafficking and to arrest their traffickers or individuals who have exploited them,” LAPD Deputy Chief Kris Pitcher said at Thursday’s press conference.

Read the full story by the Associated Press on ABC 10.

Category: Law Enforcement