Authorities arrested 228 people during a recent eight-day human trafficking raid in Florida, 21 of whom were detained on suspicion of being in the country illegally.
Polk County Sheriff’s Office Said On Tuesday, the sting operation began on February 22nd and more than 200 people arrested were involved in illegal activities related to prostitution, offering to prostitute or aiding and abetting prostitutes in the area.
NOW: Sheriff Grady Judd briefs media on undercover human trafficking investigation Operation March of Sorrow 2024 – live on Facebook: https://t.co/Puo8x8s0HV
Click here to read the news release: https://t.co/Eti1y1TM6D
Several police departments are collaborating… pic.twitter.com/I3YOozla6g
— Polk County Sheriff 🚔 Grady Judd (@PolkCoSheriff) March 5, 2024
Several local police departments and one fire and rescue agency assisted in the investigation, the sheriff’s office said, adding: “The State Attorney’s Office, 10th Judicial Circuit, State’s Attorney Brian Haas, and the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) Members and social service organizations One More Child, Children’s Heartland, and Sera Freedom were also on hand.
The agency announced that of the 66 prostitutes arrested in the operation, 13 were identified as possible victims of human trafficking.
150 suspects have been arrested who traveled to hidden locations to recruit prostitutes and negotiate sex in exchange for money. Twelve other suspects were arrested, eight of whom were either profiting from prostitution or transporting prostitutes to sting locations.
Detectives charged a total of 70 felonies and 288 misdemeanors during the investigation. The suspect’s criminal history included a total of 879 felonies and 1,150 misdemeanors.
The sheriff’s office also said that “21 of those arrested are suspected of entering the country illegally.” Those living here illegally are from Chile, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela. ”
At a press conference early Tuesday morning, Sheriff Grady Judd said be familiar with Authorities named the operation “Operation March of Sorrow 2024.”
At one point during his presentation, Judd held up a sign that read, “Federal policies promote illegal immigration crime and victimization” over a photo of several suspects.
video footage recorded According to News Nation, people involved in the sting operation were seen inside the hotel room.
Judd told the outlet he was “shocked” by the number of arrests, adding: “We had two or three coaches, a teacher. We also had a former detention deputy. , that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Those people should know better.”
An April State Action Council/Trafalgar Group poll found that multiple likely U.S. general election voters said women and women were the most concerning aspect of the border crisis unfolding on Democratic President Joe Biden’s watch. The investigation revealed what is believed to be child trafficking, Breitbart News reported. .
