Today, the FBI recognizes World Day Against Trafficking of Persons. The FBI investigates over 1,000 cases of human trafficking each year and is continually evolving and adapting efforts and resources to outpace this rapidly growing criminal industry.

The most effective way to investigate human trafficking is through a collaborative, multi-agency approach with our federal, state, local, and tribal partners. FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Forces operate within nearly every FBI field office. These task forces seek to recover victims and investigate traffickers at the state and federal level.

Human trafficking is the illegal exploitation of a person for labor or services. Anyone can be a victim of human trafficking, and it can occur in any U.S. community—cities, suburbs, and even rural areas. The FBI investigates human trafficking cases under its Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking program. We take a trauma informed, victim-centered approach to these cases.

“Right now across the FBI we have more than 1,600 pending cases involving human trafficking,” said Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil of the FBI New Orleans Division. “The overwhelming majority of these cases involve U.S. citizens who are recruited and trafficked right in their hometowns and even their homes. We understand the victims of these crimes are often coerced with money or drugs and our victims specialists work closely with them to reduce the trauma of the criminal justice system and ensure their needs are met every step of the way,” added Myrthil.

Since 2020, the FBI has received nearly 2000 human trafficking tips from the public. While all reports have not resulted in investigations, the FBI encourages the public to continue to report suspicion of human trafficking activity.

More information about how the FBI investigates human trafficking can be found on the FBI website.

To report human trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Tips can also be submitted on the NHTRC website. Tips involving children in trafficking situations should be submitted through the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline or call 1-800-THE-LOST.