Authorities in Texas announced that 30 people were arrested and one child was rescued during an undercover human trafficking probe in Fort Bend County.
Dubbed Operation Cupid, officials said the sting lasted about three days and targeted individuals who were allegedly clients of prostitutes.
He added: “Commonly known as ‘johns,’ they create the demand for human trafficking and contribute to the pervasive problem the community faces from these crimes. We are focused on saving victims by following basic economics; removing the demand will reduce the supply.”
“Don’t take it lightly, we rescued a child. We arrested 30 offenders, that’s a big thing,” said Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan in the press conference “Perpetrators should know, Fort Bend County is no longer a place where you can come easily to commit these crimes, we’re out there now, we’re looking for you, and we will arrest you.”
The Sugar Land Police Department, Houston Police Department, Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office, Missouri City Police Department, Department of Public Safety, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and the Department of Homeland Security were also involved in the operation, officials said.
In Arizona last month, an operation targeting sexual predators netted 34 arrests.
Fort Bend County is located west of Houston.