Earlier this month, an FBI anti-human trafficking operation led to the recovery of 33 missing children. The operation took place in Southern California and was dubbed “Operation Lost Angels.”

The recovery of the children was the result of the work of more than two dozen agencies on the local, state, and federal levels. Along with the FBI, other agencies leading the efforts included the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and a range of non-governmental victim advocacy groups.

Victims Rescued Were Sexually Exploited

Of the 33 minors that were rescued, eight of them were being sexually exploited at the time of the recovery. Two children were recovered several times during the operation. The FBI explains that they were recovered on the “track,” a term that is commonly used to describe a location where sex trafficking occurs.

In a statement issued by the FBI Los Angeles branch, the bureau explains, “It is not uncommon for victims who are rescued to return to commercial sex trafficking either voluntarily or by force, fraud, or coercion. 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.”

Other children recovered during the operation had been considered vulnerable missing children before the recovery. Some of these children have also been sexually exploited in the past. One of the minors recovered was the victim of kidnapping by a non-custodial parent.

The operation led to the arrest of one human trafficker who is facing state charges. Some of the victims who were recovered were also arrested on various misdemeanors including robbery and probation violation.

FBI Ramping Up Efforts Against Human Trafficking

January is human trafficking awareness month, and as the rates of human trafficking continue to rise, so do the FBI operations aimed at recovering victims. The assistant director of the FBI's Los Angeles office, Kristi K. Johnson, shares in a statement, “The FBI considers human trafficking modern day slavery, and the minors engaged in commercial sex trafficking are considered victims. 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 bureau also explains efforts taken after an operation to help victims of commercial sex trafficking. Through the resources available, including those provided by local law enforcement authorities and the FBI, the mission is to give victims access to both short-term and long-term needs, including access to housing, employment, and education. For many, legal services are also provided as victims will oftentimes be entangled in the law as well.

Operation Lost Angels is one of hundreds of investigations that the FBI has conducted around the nation regarding human trafficking. In 2020, there were 664 investigations into human trafficking; these investigations led to the arrest of 473 traffickers.

Since 2013, the FBI has been collecting data on human trafficking throughout the nation. Overall, the trend continues to rise with cases steadily increasing every year. The William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 is one of the primary measures in effect to help combat human trafficking. Under the Act, the FBI is required to distinguish between human trafficking crimes including prostitution, assisting or promoting prostitution, and purchasing prostitution.

With FBI field offices across the nation ramping up their efforts on human trafficking, crackdowns like operation Lost Angels are expected to continue throughout 2021.