“Law enforcement must keep up its effort to stamp out human trafficking.  The victims and survivors of this crime deal with years, if not a lifetime, of trauma associated with human trafficking.  We applaud the efforts of these task forces and the Attorney General’s Office.”

– CSLEA President Alan Barcelona

SAN DIEGO– On January 31, 2024, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the results of a statewide human trafficking operation called “Reclaim and Rebuild”. The San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force (SDHTTF), the Fresno Human Trafficking Sexual Predator Apprehension (HT-SPAT) and the Sacramento HT-SPAT teams participated in the multi-jurisdictional operation which concluded in January.  The operation relied both on surveillance of known locations and officers working undercover with local, state, and federal agencies. As a result of the multi-day operation, 29 people were arrested for alleged human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and other criminal offenses and 23 individuals were offered support services. The arrests have been referred to their respective County District Attorney’s Office for potential criminal prosecution.

“Our office is committed to working every day, and dedicating every month of the year to providing human trafficking victims services and apprehending and arresting their traffickers,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta.“Through Operation Reclaim and Rebuild, we’re fighting to hold perpetrators accountable and help survivors get a fresh start. I’m thankful to all our partners who work collaboratively with the SDHTTF and HT-SPAT and I’m proud of our office’s work to help uplift vulnerable Californians. When we work together, we get results.”

During the operation, law enforcement personnel conducted targeted surveillance of areas known for sexual exploitation and utilized various investigative techniques to directly identify and stop alleged human trafficking and sexual exploitation in real time. Simultaneously, law enforcement posed as individuals offering sex for sale at those same locations. Sex buyers were then generally directed to an alternate location and arrested. Among other alleged violations, arrests during the operation ranged from human trafficking of a minor to intent to commit lewd acts with a child. All of the potential victims and survivors were offered access to resources and supportive services.

In addition to serving as the lead agency on the SDHTTF, the California Department of Justice has two regional Human Trafficking and Sexual Predator Apprehension Teams serving Northern California and Southern California.