539 people were arrested in a week-long, statewide anti-human trafficking operation that included personnel from the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, authorities said Tuesday.
The 10th annual Operation Reclaim and Rebuild, which was conducted from Jan. 21-27, involved more than 95 federal, state, and local agencies, including personnel from the Los Angeles Regional Human Trafficking Task Force.
Sheriff Robert Luna announced the results of the operation at a Tuesday morning news conference at the Hall of Justice in downtown L.A. KNX News’ Emily Valdez reported that 54 of the trafficking victims were adults and 11 were children.
"Human trafficking and child exploitation are devastating crimes that prey on some of the most vulnerable members of our community," Luna said.
He said the arrests included 40 suspected "sexual traffickers or exploiters" and 271 suspected "sex buyers." It was unclear how many suspects were arrested in Los Angeles County.
In one L.A. County operation, task force personnel conducted an undercover "sex buyer" operation on a stretch of Holt Avenue in Pomona, Luna said. Twelve males, two of whom are registered sex offenders, were arrested on suspicion of solicitation of prostitution, Luna said.
In San Diego County, a 17-year-old girl was at the Parkway Plaza Mall in El Cajon when she was approached by a man who told her "she should be a model" and gave her a business card that had a phone number on it, Luna said.
The girl called the number, and she was told that she would be "doing date sex with guys at hotels." The girl told her mother, who contacted authorities, and the suspect was arrested on suspicion of human trafficking of a minor and other offenses, Luna said.
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LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said there was an 80% increase in rescues over the last year. Their youngest victim is 14 years old, he said.
L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón, LAPD representatives, and Department of Homeland Security officials joined Luna at the press conference. Officials said all of the victims are being given shelter, protection, and mental health services so they can start a new life.
Luna noted that although the annual statewide operation is conducted each January, which is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, law enforcement personnel work year-round to target human traffickers.
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