Comic-Con human trafficking ring busted as cops rescue 10 people and arrest 14 at San Diego event

Cops person cuffed 14 group they opportunity oversaw a quality trafficking cognition astatine Comic-Con successful San Diego.

The bust occurred complete nan weekend, and saw 10 victims saved including a 16-year-old girl.

The 14 suspects, meanwhile, were billed arsenic 'sex buyers' - targeted done a bid of undercover ads and officers asking for sex, officials said successful a statement.

'Unfortunately, activity traffickers capitalize connected large-scale events specified arsenic Comic-Con to utilization their victims for profit,' AG Rob Bonta said. 'These arrests nonstop a clear connection to imaginable offenders that their criminal behaviour will not beryllium tolerated. 

'We return awesome pridefulness successful our office's committedness to uplifting susceptible Californians by offering them assistance and guidance erstwhile they request it most.'

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The arrests and rescues were made from Thursday done Saturday, nan AG's agency said, by a multi-agency task unit comprised of national and authorities agents.

Despite nan grade of specified an operation, normal operators suggested they were not alert of nan three-day sting.

'Obviously we find this very disturbing and, while we were not made alert of this operation, it is our knowing that nan arrests were made extracurricular of nan event,' nan San Diego Comic Con said successful a connection to IGN. 

'We activity intimately pinch a assortment of rule enforcement entities passim nan twelvemonth and guidelines fresh to assistance successful immoderate measurement we can.'

Having concluded Sunday, nan celebrated comic book and popular civilization arena takes spot astatine nan San Diego Convention Center each summer, drafting complete 100,000 people.

This twelvemonth was nary different, pinch nan caller releases of films for illustration Deadpool and Wolverine igniting fervor amongst visitors.

As nan flocked to definite exhibits, officers and agents portion of nan task unit went undercover arsenic activity buyers to place and apprehension nan traffickers.

They were besides capable to find nan imaginable victims, nan lawyer general's officers said.

Undercovers besides utilized online ads to drawback nan creeps, proving successful.  

'When group usage these events arsenic an opportunity to prey upon minors, [Homeland Security Investigations] HSI and our rule enforcement partners will find you and bring you earlier a tribunal of rule to look criminal charges,' Christopher Davis, acting typical supplier successful complaint for HSI San Diego, said successful a abstracted statement. 

'There is nary spot for alleged predators to run successful our city.'

None of nan suspects aliases victims, arsenic of Thursday, were named. Officials are vetting nan case.