(Washington, D.C./Merrillville) The FBI Indianapolis Field Office, working with its state and local partners, identified and located three adult victims of sex trafficking during a nationwide enforcement campaign, called “Operation Cross Country.”.

The FBI-led nationwide initiative, in partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), focused on identifying and locating victims of sex trafficking and investigating and arresting individuals and criminal enterprises involved in both child sex and human trafficking. Law enforcement agencies conducted targeted operations to identify and apprehend offenders, dismantling criminal networks and preventing further harm to victims. Those suspects identified will be subject to additional investigation for potential charges.

In Indiana, FBI agents from the Gang Response Investigative Team (GRIT) Task Force worked with law enforcement partners from the Indiana State Police, Merrillville Police Department, Hobart Police Department, Crown Point Police Department, Hammond Police Department, and the Lake County Sheriff’s Department and located and recovered three adult victims. Two traffickers were arrested by local law enforcement.

The FBI remains steadfast in its commitment to combating child exploitation and human trafficking. Operation Cross Country is just one facet of the Bureau’s ongoing efforts to protect the most vulnerable members of society and hold offenders accountable. The FBI encourages continued vigilance, cooperation, and reporting from the public to help identify and recover victims and bring perpetrators to justice.

Resources:

• Victim Services Division
• Crimes Against Children
• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)
• NCMEC’s 24/7 call center number: 1-800-THE-LOST (843-5678)

Note: B-roll from Operation Cross Country XIII operations can be found/downloaded here: Operation Cross Country 2023 B-Roll – FBI