WASHINGTON, DC—The FBI San Diego Field Office and the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force, in partnership with state and local agencies, identified and located 15 victims of sex trafficking during a nationwide enforcement campaign, called “Operation Cross Country.”

The FBI-led nationwide initiative, in partnership with the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force and 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.

Locally, FBI agents from the San Diego Field Office and the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force worked with the following law enforcement partners and thank them for their participation and assistance:

• San Diego Police Department
• San Diego Sheriff’s Department
• National City Police Department
• Naval Criminal Investigative Service
• U.S. Attorney’s Office Southern District of California
• Homeland Security Investigations
• Internal Revenue Service
• California Department of Justice
• San Diego District Attorney’s Office
• San Diego Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC)
• Riverside ICAC
• Child Welfare Services
• Advocacy Partners

With these important collaborations, 15 victims, including two minors, were located and referred services. Also, four individuals suspected of human trafficking and/or the sexual exploitation of children were arrested during this two-week operation.

The operation included an Outreach Day, where members of the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force engaged with key community stakeholders and law enforcement agencies to provide training and helpful information to spot the signs of and bring more awareness to human trafficking

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:

• Human Trafficking Information
• The National Human Trafficking Hotline: 888-373-7888
• 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)

Editor’s note: b-roll from Operation Cross Country XIII operations can be found/downloaded here: Operation Cross Country 2023 B-Roll — FBI