A multi-agency anti-human trafficking operation led by the FBI rescued 33 missing children in southern California. The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced the news about the investigation on Friday in a press release.
Operation Lost Angels launched on Jan. 11 and found 33 “vulnerable missing children,” eight of which were said to be being sexually exploited or trafficked when law enforcement saved them, according to the feds.
“Two were recovered multiple times during the operation while on the ‘track,’ a common term used to describe a known location for commercial sex trafficking,” the FBI said. “It is not uncommon for victims who are rescued to return to commercial sex trafficking either voluntarily or by force, fraud, or coercion.”
“This harmful cycle highlights the challenges victims face and those faced by law enforcement when attempting to keep victims from returning to an abusive situation,” the news release stated. “Victims may not self-identify as being trafficked or may not even realize they’re being trafficked.”
The operation resulted in the arrest of a suspected human trafficker on state charges. One of the minors had been unlawfully kidnapped by a parent. – READ MORE
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