Fourteen people were arrested and 10 rescued in a human trafficking bust at San Diego Comic-Con in California last weekend.
in press release According to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a three-day human trafficking sting operation, part of a joint investigation with the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force (SDHTTF), resulted in the arrest of “14 prostitutes,” the rescue of nine adult “potential victims of prostitution,” and the rescue of a 16-year-old boy.
“Unfortunately, sex traffickers use large events like Comic-Con to exploit their victims and make a profit,” Bonta explained in a statement. “This arrest sends a clear message to potential predators that their criminal behavior will not be tolerated. We thank all of our dedicated partners at the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force. Their collaboration has been invaluable.”
Sex traffickers use large events like Comic-Con to exploit their victims.
The investigation by the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force resulted in 14 arrests and services provided to 10 potential victims.https://t.co/znW5LI9nBR pic.twitter.com/CLUyOFbrsk
—Rob Bonta (@AGRobBonta) July 31, 2024
According to a press release, the three-day sting operation, which took place from July 25-27, was aimed at “rescuing victims of sex trafficking and targeting sex buyers seeking out potential victims” using the San Diego Comic-Con convention.
“There is no crime more insidious than human trafficking,” San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez said in a statement. “The coercion and violence that enslave people and force them into forced labor or sex acts for profit is a crime. As Sheriff, I support the efforts of all of our law enforcement partners to hold perpetrators accountable, and I appreciate the focus of our recent conference on identifying and rescuing victims of human trafficking.”
Comic-Con is described as “the premier event for everything comics and related popular arts, including film, television, games and interactive multimedia.” Website.
