Child Trafficking
Story 1:
Canadian police arrested 13 men, including a U.S. national, over a four-day period in an operation at a hotel in Niagara Falls, Ontario. All 13 individuals have been charged with child sex trafficking offenses. The arrests were part of a project launched by the Niagara police to target people using the internet to arrange meetings with minors they believed to be offering sexual services for money. The suspects, ranging in age from 20 to 60 years old, were apprehended at the same hotel between January 31 and February 3, 2024.
Charges against them include encouraging or advising sexual exploitation of a minor, engaging in sexual activities with a young person, and luring a child for the purpose of obtaining sexual services. Among those detained is a 60-year-old U.S. citizen from Buffalo, New York. The project received assistance from multiple law enforcement agencies, emphasizing the commitment to fighting human trafficking and protecting vulnerable members of the community in Niagara Falls.
More Information found here: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/canada-niagara-falls-child-sexual-abuse-trafficking-arrests/
Story 2:
Seventeen individuals have been arrested in Flint, Michigan, following an investigation into child trafficking. The rescue operation, which took place on a Friday, successfully located seven children aged 17 and under. Law enforcement agents conducted six stings over five months, posing as 13, 14, and 15-year-old children on social media platforms. Those who arrived at the designated locations expecting to exploit the children were instead apprehended and will face criminal prosecution. The rescue operation also included a search for 27 missing children, with one 16-year-old girl found locked in a barn. This marks the third such rescue operation in Genesee County, emphasizing the commitment to combating human trafficking not just in Flint but across the country.