Thirty-three children were recovered in an anti-trafficking operation in Los Angeles called “Operation Lost Angels,” the FBI field office in LA announced Friday.
The FBI has partnered with the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, and more than two dozen law enforcement and non-governmental partners to launch the Jan. 11 recovery initiative.
The FBI notes that eight of the 33 children found were sexually exploited when they were found, and that many before their recovery were considered vulnerable as missing children.
Two children were found several times during the investigation at well-known hotspots for sex trafficking.
One of the minor children was abducted illegally by a parent. Some others were arrested for violating probation, robbery or other offenses.
In addition, a suspected human trafficking was arrested on state charges.
“The FBI considers human trafficking to be modern-day slavery and the minors who engage in sexual trafficking are considered victims,” FBI Director Kristi K. Johnson said in a statement. the FBI and our partners investigate child sexual abuse every day of the year and 24 hours a day. “
According to the FBI, cases of human trafficking have “increased significantly” in recent years. During the 2020 financial year, the FBI opened 664 investigations into human trafficking spanning the country. As a result, 473 dealers were arrested.
As of November 2020, however, there were still more than 1,800 investigations into human trafficking in progress, including cases of sex trafficking in children.
The FBI has asked anyone who thinks they have seen human trafficking to call their local FBI office or local police department.