A human trafficking sting at San Diego Comic-Con resulted in 14 arrests and the rescue of 10 victims, including a 16-year-old, as authorities cracked down on criminal exploitation during the popular event.
A human trafficking sting operation at the San Diego Comic-Con event over the weekend resulted in the arrest of 14 individuals and the rescue of 10 people, including a 16-year-old, according to a press release from California Attorney General Rob Bonta.
The operation, conducted by the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force (SDHTTF), took place over three days from July 25-27. It targeted sex buyers and aimed to recover victims of sex trafficking who were being exploited during the large-scale event.
"Unfortunately, sex traffickers capitalize on large-scale events such as Comic-Con to exploit their victims for profit," Bonta said in a statement. "These arrests send a clear message to potential offenders that their criminal behavior will not be tolerated. We are grateful to all our dedicated partners involved in the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force, whose collaboration has been invaluable."
The sting operation led to the rescue of nine adults identified as potential victims of sex trafficking, along with one minor. The focus was on identifying and rescuing victims while holding perpetrators accountable.
San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez emphasized the gravity of human trafficking, stating, "The coercion and violence which enslaves people for profit and places them into forced labor or sex is criminal. I support the efforts of all our justice partners in holding perpetrators accountable. I appreciate the focus that was placed on the recent convention to identify and rescue victims of human trafficking."
San Diego Comic-Con is a major event for fans of comics, movies, television, gaming, and related popular art forms, drawing large crowds that unfortunately also attract criminal activity.
.png)