153 arrested in California in sex slave/human trafficking sting. More citizens reporting suspicions.

In yet another sex trafficking story, approximately 300 people were arrested in Los Angeles during a three-day sting conducted by the LAPD, FBI and other law enforcement and protective agencies. Combined, the undercover organization is called “Operation Summer Rescue.”

Police say 153 arrests were for prostitution. This would include soliciting, forcing, and/or facilitating sex trafficking. While scooping up human trafficking criminals, over 100 other arrests were made for unrelated criminal activity. 

Of the 10 sex-trafficking victims rescued, eight of them were minors. All of the victims were placed in protective care.

Americans are becoming more aware of human trafficking. They are also learning how to recognize the signs and report their suspicions. 10 signs that indicate the person in front of you might be a victim of human trafficking The National Human Trafficking Resource Center said more than 4,000 cases of sex trafficking were reported nationwide in just the last year. This is a good sign and sending a clear message to the community said the LAPD. 

Tim Stack, a Los Angeles police officer, told the Los Angeles Times that trafficking persists despite the stings each year.

"The people trafficking these young girls are master manipulators, looking specifically for girls in need of a father figure or a provider," he told the newspaper."They make them believe they will lead a glamorous lifestyle and make a lot of money, but that's nowhere near the truth," he said.

"It's all about the money. Human trafficking is insanely profitable. If you really think about it; You can sell a kilo of Heroin once; You can sell a 13-year-old girl 20 times a night, 365 days a year.”