OPERATION LOST ANGELS
FBI find 33 missing children including 8 kids who were ‘sexually abused’ in huge California human trafficking probe
THE FBI rescued 33 missing children – including eight kids who had been "sexually abused" – during a human trafficking bust in California.
Over two dozen law enforcement and non-governmental agencies were involved in the multi-agency mission, dubbed Operation "Lost Angels," which began on January 11 in SoCal.
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At least eight of the children had been sexually exploited, the said in a , confirming that one suspected human trafficker was arrested.
Some of the children returned to commercial sex trafficking after authorities had found them either voluntarily or through coercion, forcing the to make a number of interventions on their behalf.
Two of the victims had been recovered several times while on the "track" – a term used by the FBI to describe locations for commercial sex trafficking.
"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 bureau said.
"Victims may not self-identify as being trafficked or may not even realize they’re being trafficked.
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"Several other victims located had been sexually exploited in the past and were considered vulnerable missing children prior to their recovery."
Some of the minor victims were arrested for violating probation, or for robbery and other misdemeanors. The FBI noted that one child was the victim of a non-custodial parental kidnapping.
A suspected human trafficker was arrested on state charges and the FBI opened "multiple investigations" as a result of the operation.
"The FBI considers human trafficking modern-day slavery, and the minors engaged in commercial sex trafficking are considered victims," Assistant FBI Director Kristi K. Johnson, reported .
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"While this operation surged resources over a limited period of time with great success, the FBI and our partners investigate child sex trafficking every day of the year and around the clock."
“Human trafficking is a pervasive and insidious crime that threatens the safety of our young people, who are the future of our communities,” agreed Michel Moore, chief of the Los Angeles Police Department.
“We can only begin to take back the future of our youth with the strong partnerships forged between outstanding service providers and law enforcement.”
January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and the FBI has seen an uptick in human trafficking-related crimes over recent years.
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As of November 2020, the FBI has more than 1,800 pending investigations.
The FBI runs 86 Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Forces across the country.
Last year alone, the FBI made 473 arrests after initiating 664 human trafficking investigations nationwide.
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