A joint task force law enforcement operation in West Texas recovered 70 missing children spanning several weeks.
Homeland Security Investigations' "Operation Lost Souls" initiative was active from the end of April through mid-May and was carried out by HSI El Paso, the Texas Department of Public Safety and "numerous other federal, state and local agencies," according to a May 25 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement news release. The missing youth, many of them runaways, were ages 10 to 17 who included sex trafficking and physical and sexual abuse victims.
“'Operation Lost Souls' exemplifies Homeland Security Investigations' commitment to protecting the public from crimes of victimization," HSI El Paso Deputy Special Agent in Charge Taekuk Cho said in the release. "In this case, we are looking out for our children - our community's most precious resource. HSI is committed to continue working with our law enforcement partners to locate, recover and help missing children heal, while ensuring that perpetrators are held responsible for these heinous crimes and brought to justice."
The news release reported the majority of the rescued children were located in West Texas. The rest were located in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, Colorado and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Officers in the multi-agency operation also provided victim services and counseling to the rescued children and their families.
"At the Department of Public Safety, teamwork is one of our core values," Department of Public Safety Major Matthew Mull said in the news release. "We are grateful for all of our law enforcement partners who participated in this operation and who work around-the-clock every day to protect our communities, including our youth."
