Ten people were arrested in a federal human trafficking crackdown that took place Wednesday morning along Los Angeles’ Figueroa Corridor.
Officials say “Operation Broken Blade” resulted in the rescue of more than 50 victims of a sex trafficking operation. According to Attorney Bill Essayli, girls as young as 14 years old were being trafficked.
“These defendants recruited runaways,” Essayli said during a news conference on Wednesday. “Girls from foster care systems and other vulnerable victims who turned to social media for affection, but these defendants ended up grooming them, recruiting them, and exploiting them.”
Essayli added that in addition to the 10 people arrested, a total of 25 defendants have been arrested in previous raids.
Authorities say the suspects arrested Wednesday morning were identified as members of a group they call the Hoover Street Gang. Also among those arrested was Mukeshkumar Rambhai Ahir, the manager of the South L.A.-based Stadium Inn & Spas motel.
Essayli also said that the World Cup games did not play a role in this operation.
Federal agents and officers with the Los Angeles Police Department took part in the operation.
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