Human trafficking crackdown nets more than 600 arrests

Authorities said a weeklong California operation resulted in 611 arrests and the rescue of 170 people, including 14 children, and officials announced that prosecutions and enforcement will continue through the year.

Authorities in Los Angeles announced the results of a statewide enforcement effort targeting sex trafficking. The weeklong Operation Reclaim and Rebuild involved the Los Angeles Regional Human Trafficking Task Force and multiple local, state, and federal partner agencies. Officials reported hundreds of arrests and dozens of rescues during the campaign. Law enforcement said the work and prosecutions will continue beyond the operation. What officials reported: - A total of 611 criminal arrests were made during the operation, the authorities said. - Officials reported 170 people were rescued, including 156 adults and 14 children. - Among the arrests, authorities identified 71 suspected traffickers and 328 customers, according to officials. - Los Angeles County accounted for 192 arrests, and officials said enforcement and prosecutions are ongoing. Summary: Officials presented the operation as part of an annual campaign that produced higher arrest totals than in previous years and said it focused on known corridors and checks of people with prior arrests. They emphasized that enforcement and prosecutions will continue through the year, and that investigative work is ongoing.