A press release from the Phoenix police stated that officers from several law enforcement bodies collaborated on an operation from January 30 to February 11 in the Phoenix region, yielding nearly 350 arrests, 48 of these for felony offenses, in an attempt to crack down on sex trafficking and prostitution.
February 22, 2023
During this time frame, Arizona had several large events, Super Bowl LVII, the Waste Management Phoenix Open, and the Barrett-Jackson Car Auction were all held.
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The police were quoted saying, "These events draw large crowds of people, many of them from outside of the state, and large events can create a bigger market for human trafficking and prostitution-related activities. Over 100 law enforcement officers from state, local and federal agencies worked daily to address the issue of human trafficking in the Valley."
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Police stated that the operation was aimed at adults who had attempted to procure minors for sex through the internet, and those who solicit sexual services on the street.
"The priority of these operations was to identify and recover juveniles or adult victims of human trafficking as it relates to fraud, force or coercion as well as to provide victim outreach."
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On top of the 48 felony arrests made, 300 additional were misdemeanors of those 120 for people looking to pay for sex.
The law enforcement officers identified five minors and an adult and reported confiscating seven firearms.
Law enforcement stated that individuals flagged as potentially being involved in trafficking were being further examined by state, local, and federal authorities.
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