Florida Sheriff: 148 People Arrested, Minors Rescued in Human Trafficking Operation

Some 148 people were arrested in an operation targeting human traffickers, the sheriff of Hillsborough County, Florida, said on Aug. 20. The operation resulted in two 17-year-old girls and five adult women being freed. They are recovering with the help of organizations formed to help trafficking victims. The sheriff’s office has human trafficking specialists, but for the operation, which started on April 29 and lasted 102 days, they increased the manpower dedicated to targeting human traffickers. “As we approached the summer months, we wanted to do even more. We know children are out of school, they have more free time, they’re going to be spending more time on the internet,” Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said. “We wanted to make sure we were being extremely proactive, to make sure that no one fell victim to human trafficking for those who wanted to prey on them.”...