The FBI rescued more than 200 sex trafficking victims and identified or arrested more than 125 suspects during a two-week nationwide operation last month, reports USA Today. The FBI also found 59 victims of child sex trafficking and sexual exploitation, and located 59 missing children during the July operation. Nearly every FBI field office was involved in “Operation Cross Country,” an annual two-week initiative now in its 13 year. The FBI identified or arrested 126 suspects of child sexual exploitation and human trafficking and 68 suspects of trafficking. “Human trafficking is a grave violation of human rights that preys on the most vulnerable members of our society,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI’s actions against this threat never waver as we continue to send our message that these atrocities will not be tolerated.” “Operation Cross Country” grew out of a 2003 FBI initiative that identified and recovered sexually exploited minors. It’s a coordinated operation involving federal, state and local agencies across the US., including the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Law enforcement agencies identify traffickers, networks and victims, and the FBI provides resources, including for victims. In August 2022, 141 adult victims of human trafficking, 84 minor victims of child sex trafficking and 37 missing children were found during a similar two-week operation.
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