A Comic-Con weekend operation in San Diego County ended with 27 alleged sex buyers arrested and nine trafficking victims recovered, including two juveniles. The three-day sweep put the spotlight on the darker criminal activity that can gather around one of the region’s biggest events.
Operation Iron Justice ran from last Wednesday through last Friday and focused on the demand for commercial sex surrounding large-scale events, according to 10News. Undercover agents with the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force contacted sex buyers throughout the county before making arrests on suspicion of solicitation, loitering for purposes of solicitation and related offenses.
The recovered victims included seven adults and two juveniles, authorities said. One juvenile was a 16-year-old from San Bernardino County who had been reported missing, and all nine were offered access to supportive services and other resources.
San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said the operation was meant to make clear that commercial sex buyers help sustain an industry that profits from exploitation. She cited an estimate that the illicit commercial-sex economy generates more than $810 million a year in San Diego County, according to 10News.
Comic-Con’s Massive Crowds Create A Recurring Enforcement Target
Comic-Con 2026 was expected to draw more than 135,000 attendees and generate over $160 million in regional economic impact, according to the City of San Diego. The city also assigned additional police and fire personnel downtown during the convention, which ran through Sunday.
This was not the first Comic-Con weekend sting in San Diego. The California Department of Justice said a similar 2025 operation resulted in 13 arrests for solicitation, while Hoodline’s 2024 report detailed a sweep that led to 14 arrests and the recovery of 10 potential trafficking victims.
Arrests Target Demand While Cases Move Forward
The arrests are allegations, not convictions, and the final charges and case outcomes will depend on prosecutorial review. In its 2025 Comic-Con announcement, the California Department of Justice said solicitation under Penal Code 647(b)(2) can carry jail time and monetary penalties.
The department has said its broader strategy is to target the demand that can fuel trafficking while connecting potential victims with trauma-informed support. Anyone in immediate danger should call 911; people seeking trafficking-related help can contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
