A massive operation involving several law enforcement agencies resulted in the recovery of more than three dozen missing children, including several who had been sexually exploited, officials said.
A person suspected of human trafficking was arrested on state charges, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said on Friday in a press release. The details of the arrest were not immediately available.
“Operation Lost Angels” started on January 11 during Human Trafficking Awareness Month. The FBI said 33 children were rescued, including eight who were being sexually exploited at the time of recovery.
Several of the other victims were sexually exploited in the past and were “considered to be vulnerable missing children”, according to authorities. Two of the victims were recovered several times while in a place known for commercial sex trafficking.
The FBI said it is not uncommon for victims to return on their own, by force or threats.
“This damaging cycle highlights the challenges that victims face and those faced by law enforcement in trying to prevent victims from returning to an abusive situation,” said the FBI. “Victims may not identify themselves as being trafficked or may not even realize that they are being trafficked.”
Some of the victims were arrested for misdemeanor crimes, such as parole violation or theft, officials said. A child was found to have been the victim of parental kidnapping without custody.
Additional details about the victims were not released and the FBI could not be found on Saturday.
Federal investigators worked with the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and two dozen other law enforcement agencies.
Agencies in other states have also helped, including the Wichita Police Department in Kansas, the Police at Langston University in Oklahoma and the Arizona Department of Child Safety.
“Human trafficking is a pervasive and insidious crime that threatens the safety of our young people, who are the future of our communities,” said Michel Moore, head of the Los Angeles Police Department. “We can only begin to rescue the future of our youth with strong partnerships between prominent service providers and law enforcement officers.”
