California Attorney General Rob Bonta and the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force (SDHTTF) announced the results of their annual Operation Home for the Holidays, a concerted effort to tackle human trafficking in the region. In a press release published by the California Department of Justice, it was revealed that the operation led to 10 arrests and 19 individuals were offered support services. Bonta expressed gratitude towards law enforcement partners and emphasized their commitment to disrupting trafficking operations and uplifting vulnerable communities.
"Operation Home for the Holidays is a key part of our efforts to keep our communities safe for the holidays and all year round," Bonta stated. The multi-day sting began on December 10 and was carried out in various locations across San Diego County, including the City of San Diego and Chula Vista. Undercover officers posed as sex buyers to identify victims and traffickers, leading to arrests for alleged pimping and pandering among other offenses.
San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan highlighted the severity of the issue in the region, where sex trafficking reportedly generates over $810 million a year. "The ugly truth is that sex trafficking remains a lucrative criminal industry fueled by demand that generating over $810 million a year in San Diego County," Stephan told the California Department of Justice. She praised the ongoing efforts of the task force, demonstrating law enforcement's zero tolerance for what she described as modern-day slavery.
The task force is a cooperative effort with various federal and state agencies. As the lead agency, the California Department of Justice also manages three regional Human Trafficking and Sexual Predator Apprehension Teams statewide. Earlier initiatives to combat human trafficking included a sting over Comic-Con weekend and Operation Coast to Coast, a multi-state effort. Bonta also oversaw the inception of the Sacramento Regional Human Trafficking Task Force earlier in the year, adding to the department's arsenal against this pervasive crime.
