Thirty-three missing children were recovered this month in an anti-human trafficking operation led by FBI's Los Angeles field office.
According to the FBI, the operation began in January 11, and out of the
33 children recovered during the operation tagged "Operation Lost
Angels," eight were being sexually exploited at the time of their
recovery.
According to the Bureau, two children were recovered multiple times
during the operation, because it's not uncommon for rescued victims to
return to commercial sex trafficking "either voluntarily or by force,
fraud, or coercion."
The operation involved the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los
Angeles County Sheriff's Department, and more than two dozen other law
enforcement agencies along with the National Center for Missing and
Exploited Children, the California Department of Child and Family
Services, and victim advocacy organizations, according to the FBI.
"This harmful cycle highlights the challenges victims face and those
faced by law enforcement when attempting to keep victims from returning
to an abusive situation. Victims may not self-identify as being
trafficked or may not even realize they're being trafficked," the FBI
statement said.
Some of the rescued minor victims "were arrested for probation
violations, robbery, or other misdemeanors" while one child was a victim
of a noncustodial parental kidnapping, according to the statement.
"The FBI considers human trafficking modern day slavery and the minors
engaged in commercial sex trafficking are considered victims," said
Kristi Johnson, assistant director in charge of the Los Angeles field
office. "While this operation surged resources over a limited period of
time with great success, the FBI and our partners investigate child sex
trafficking every day of the year and around the clock."
"The FBI is working with its partners to provide resources to the rescued children, including medical care and legal services."
"Human trafficking is a pervasive and insidious crime that threatens the
safety of our young people, who are the future of our communities," Los
Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said. "We can only begin to take back
the future of our youth with the strong partnerships forged between
outstanding service providers and law enforcement." the statement added
