Comic-Con Human Trafficking Sting Gets 14, Rescues 10 in San Diego, California [VIDEO]

California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced an intensive operation targeting human traffickers who prey on vulnerable victims during the notorious San Diego Comic-Con Convention.

The San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force (SDHTTF) led the investigation, which resulted in 14 arrests and the recovery of 10 people who were potential victims of sex trafficking.

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The operation took place July 25-27, 2024, as the California Department of Justice's SDHTTF worked to combat the crime.

Attorney General Bonta didn't mince words when sharing his perspective, stating, “Unfortunately, sex traffickers take advantage of large-scale events like Comic-Con to exploit their victims for profit. These arrests send a message clear to potential criminals that their criminal behavior will not be tolerated.”

He expressed his appreciation for the collaborative efforts of the dedicated partners within the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force for their invaluable support throughout the operation.

San Diego Sheriff Kelly Martinez echoed Bonta's sentiments, emphasizing the damning nature of human trafficking and stressing the need to hold perpetrators accountable. Martínez appreciated the focused efforts to identify and rescue victims of human trafficking during the recent convention.

San Diego Police Chief Wahl reinforced the commitment to fight human trafficking and praised the successful recovery of 10 victims, including a 16-year-old girl.

Chief Wahl emphasized the dedication of police personnel in enforcing the law and rescuing the victims of these situations.

HSI San Diego Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Davis stressed that while events like Comic-Con serve as a platform to showcase the city, criminal elements looking to exploit minors will be met with full force of the law

Davis assured that homeland security investigations and law enforcement partners would relentlessly pursue suspected predators and bring them to justice.

Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Carter of the NCIS Southwest Field Office expressed the seriousness of human trafficking as a human rights violation that demands a unified response.

Carter reaffirmed NCIS' commitment to protecting service members, their families and the community from exploitation and abuse.

The operation, aimed at targeting sex buyers and recovering potential victims of sex trafficking, involved law enforcement personnel posing as buyers to identify and rescue victims, as well as arrest traffickers.

Using a strategic approach that included issuing undercover solicitations, law enforcement successfully arrested 14 sex buyers and recovered 10 potential sex traffickers, including a 16-year-old child.

The multi-agency task force, including the DOJ, FBI and Homeland Security Investigations, demonstrated a united front against human trafficking.