California Nets Nearly 550 Arrests Linked to Human Trafficking

Los Angeles Sheriffs Department (LASD) deputies conduct police work in Lancaster, Calif., on July 10, 2024. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

The Sacramento Police Department was the latest California agency to report rescuing victims of human trafficking and making arrests during a statewide human trafficking crackdown, the department reported on Feb. 7.

“Our investigators showed dedication and compassion, rescuing 11 vulnerable victims and arresting [two] suspects, making a significant impact on our community’s safety,” the department wrote on the social media platform X.

Law enforcement agencies throughout California, from Jan. 26 to Feb. 1, arrested a combined 547 suspects during “Operation Reclaim and Rebuild,” a multi-agency initiative focused on rescuing victims of sexual slavery and human trafficking.

The operation was held in January in observance of National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Regional Human Trafficking Task Force also joined the 197 other law enforcement agencies during the operation.

In Los Angeles County, 333 suspects were arrested, and 11 minors were rescued from possible human traffickers, according to the LAPD.

Another 166 adults were identified as trafficking victims and received appropriate services, the department reported.

All minors rescued were placed in protective custody and will get support from the Department of Children and Family Service, along with advocacy services from victim support partners.

“During the operation, our dedicated investigators demonstrated their unwavering commitment and compassion as they embarked on a critical mission to protect victims of human trafficking,” the LAPD said in a statement on Feb. 4.

In Riverside County, located about 60 miles east of Los Angeles, law enforcement arrested 112 adults for solicitation of prostitution, pimping, pandering, possession of various narcotics, and other crimes related to human trafficking, according to the county sheriff’s office.

Various services and resources were also provided and offered to 13 possible victims of human trafficking, the sheriff’s office reported.

The operation targeted commercial sex work and those who demanded the activities, which fuels an illicit underground economy, according to the sheriff’s office.

“Victims are often forced or coerced into prostitution at a young age, with many people admitting to first being victimized when they were about 14 years old and some younger,” the Riverside County Sheriff’’s Department said in a statement on Feb. 5.