U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations will be collaborating on a multi-agency operation to fight human trafficking.
A Feb. 22 ICE news release reported the operation will involve special agents from both departments with the goal of confronting and decreasing human trafficking and crimes related to those issues.
The collaborative effort is being conducted in Scottsdale and Phoenix, Ariz., areas and has already resulted in 118 arrests. The arrests pertained to prostitution, luring, pandering, escort service violations and warrants. A particular emphasis of the investigation was hotel and street prostitution.
The Phoenix Police Department’s Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit also participated in the operation, according to the news release. The scope of the operation ran from January through February. Agents collaborated with local police, advocates for victims, detectives and criminal analysts.
Notable arrests made as a part of the program include someone with an outstanding murder warrant and a person who paid to have sex with an underage male, according to the news release. In addition to the arrests, 70 people were provided with resources to help them leave prostitution or human trafficking.
The operation was described as being very complicated with "moving parts."
