A team of Police officers apprehended 14 individuals during the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con in a human trafficking bust, ultimately rescuing 10 victims during the operation.
According to a press release issued by the Attorney General of California, an operation was conducted by the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force from July 25 to 27 with the goal of recovering victims of sex trafficking and targeting individuals who engage in sex buying.
The operation led to the apprehension of 14 individuals and the rescue of 10 victims, including a 16-year-old juvenile.
14 people were arrested, and 10 individuals were rescued in a human trafficking sting operation at San Diego Comic-Con pic.twitter.com/04UOSxX1QD
— dexerto (@dexerto) July 31, 2024
“Attorney General Rob Bonta stated that sex traffickers often take advantage of popular events like Comic-Con to exploit their victims for monetary gain. The recent arrests serve as a strong warning to potential perpetrators that their illegal actions will not be condoned.”
Over the course of the three-day operation, undercover law enforcement officers posed as potential clients to expose victims and apprehend their traffickers by creating and posting advertisements offering their services.
San Diego Sheriff Kelly Martinex stated that human trafficking is the most insidious crime. He emphasized that the act of forcing and exploiting individuals for profit, whether it be through forced labor or sexual exploitation, is a criminal act.
Despite being a highly anticipated event for San Diego each year, drawing in approximately 100,000 visitors, SDCC also poses a potential risk for human trafficking, as mentioned in the press release.
San Diego Comic-Con stated to IGN that they had no prior knowledge of the investigation.
“We are deeply disturbed by this situation. Although we were not informed of the operation, we understand that the arrests were conducted outside of the event,”the statement from the organization reads.
“We maintain a close working relationship with various law enforcement agencies throughout the year and are always prepared to offer our assistance in any way possible.”
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