More than 500 arrested during statewide human trafficking operation

Authorities made more than 500 arrests during a week-long, statewide anti-human trafficking operation in California. 

It was the 10th annual Operation Reclaim and Rebuild, which was conducted between Jan. 21 and Jan. 27 throughout the Golden State, involving more than 95 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, including the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles Regional Human Trafficking Task Force. 

Sheriff Robert Luna was on hand at a press conference at the Hall of Justice in downtown LA on Tuesday to announce the results of the operation. 

He said that overall, 539 people were arrested, including 40 of whom were suspected "sexual traffickers or exploiters" and 271 suspected "sex buyers." It remains unclear how many arrests were made in Los Angeles County

Additionally, 54 adults and 11 juveniles were rescued, including a 14-year-old girl. 

"Human trafficking and child exploitation are devastating crimes that prey on some of the most vulnerable members of our community," Luna said. "This week-long operation demonstrates that if you engage in human trafficking activities, harm our children, and destroy lives, there will be absolute consequences; and there is no refuge for predators in the state of California."

Luna spoke on one specific operation in Los Angeles County in which task force personnel conducted an undercover operation on a stretch of Holt Avenue in Pomona in which 12 men were arrested, two of which are registered sex offenders. They were all arrested on suspicion of solicitation of prostitution. 

He also relayed a story from San Diego County, where a 17-year-old girl was approached by a man at the Parkway Plaza Mall in El Cajon who told her that she "should be a model" and gave her a business card with a phone number on it. 

She called the number and was told that she would be doing "date sex with guys at hotels," which prompted her to tell her mother, who in turn contacted authorities. The suspect was arrested on suspicion of human trafficking a minor and other offenses. 

Luna said that Operation Reclaim and Rebuild is annually conducted in January, which is Human Trafficking Awareness Month.