Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department officials say 474 people were arrested during a statewide human trafficking operation this week.
Additionally, 28 sexually exploited children and 27 adult victims were rescued, according to the LASD release.
More than 30 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and task forces took part in the sting, the news release stated.
The operation took place during a three-day span of time between Thursday and Saturday.
“You are worthy of more. And we will work tirelessly with our partners … to provide you services and help you rebuild your life,” Sheriff Jim McDonnell said, reported KLTA. The arrests, he added, represent a “very sad commentary on the condition we’re dealing with,” AP reported.
Investigators said that as part of the operation, undercover officers posed as sex workers on street corners, and they also posted advertisements online.
According to the release:
Operation Reclaim and Rebuild focused on rescuing victims of sexual slavery and human trafficking, providing victims with much-needed services, identifying and arresting their captors, seeking successful prosecutions, and disrupting the demand for vulnerable victims by targeting their customers.
Police agencies and other trafficking task forces throughout our state joined in the enforcement operation to send the clear message that California law enforcement shares a unified mandate: Human trafficking must not be tolerated in our state!
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