A two-day human trafficking operation, coordinated by the San Diego County Human Trafficking Task Force, freed a 16-year-old girl and 11 women from their captors this week. Deputies arrested five men for suspected prostitution-related violations, and a woman for the trafficking of a minor.
On Monday and Tuesday, "Operation Home for the Holidays" went into action with detectives from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department working undercover as sex buyers looking for online ads of suspected juveniles. "I'm proud of the great work being done by the San Diego County Human Trafficking Task Force," Sheriff Bill Gore said. "The cooperation between the sheriff's department and our local, state and federal law enforcement partners is sending a clear message that human trafficking will not be tolerated in San Diego County."
"Operation Home for the Holidays" was a combined effort between the San Diego County Human Trafficking Task Force involving the California Department of Justice, California Highway Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, National City Police Department, San Diego City Attorney's Office, San Diego County District Attorney's Office, San Diego County Probation Department, San Diego County Sheriff's Department, San Diego Police Department and the United States Attorney's Office, Southern District of California.
The victims are being cared for and will hopefully soon return to their families. Child Welfare Services and a juvenile advocate assisted with the recovery of the teenager.
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