9 suspected human trafficking victims rescued in California: FBI
LOS ANGELES - Nine suspected human trafficking victims - including five children - were rescued in Southern California as part of a nationwide sting operation, according to the FBI Los Angeles Division.
Operation Cross Country is a "FBI-led initiative focused on identifying and locating victims of sex trafficking and investigating and arresting individuals and criminal enterprises involved in both child sex trafficking and human trafficking," officials said in a statement.
The FBI Los Angeles Division worked in partnership with FBI Special Agents, Intelligence Analysts, Victim Specialists, and Child Adolescent Forensic Interviewers working in conjunction with over 200 state, local, and federal partners and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) conducted operations over a two-week period.
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"Human trafficking and child exploitation are insidious crimes, and the impact on victims is immeasurable. However, with strong partnerships forged between outstanding service providers and law enforcement, we can ensure victims receive the services they need, and the perpetrators of such unspeakable activity are brought to justice" said Amir Ehsaei, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Los Angeles Division.
The FBI announced on Monday that it has located up to 121 missing children and child trafficking victims in the nationwide operation.
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In a news release, the agency said that its "Operation Cross Country" initiative helped locate more than 200 victims of human trafficking and related crimes during the first two weeks of this month.
One hundred and forty-one adult victims were also found through the agency’s initiative, bringing the active total of victims located by authorities this year as part of Cross Country to 391.