Dozens of children were rescued in a blow to child sex trafficking operations in Florida, officials announced Monday.
Called Operation Dragon Eye, this initiative was led by the U.S. Marshals Office in the Central District of Florida, with support from the state Attorney General James Uthmeier’s Office of Statewide Prosecution (OSP).
The project brought together 20 agencies working collectively to locate 60 critically missing children and to arrest individuals involved in trafficking, drugs, and child endangerment.
“The true heroes of this operation are the law enforcement officers who planned and carried out this mission,” Uthmeier stated in a release. “As your Attorney General and a father of three young children, safeguarding kids is my foremost concern. If you harm children, you will face imprisonment, no exceptions.”
“Though our open southern border invites criminal activity like human trafficking, states can combat it with stronger penalties and increased training for emergency personnel to recognize and respond to trafficking, and today I was pleased to institute those measures in Florida.”
State lawmakers have also passed legislation to increase penalties for traffickers and mandate trafficking-awareness training for hotel workers, healthcare providers and school staff.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Uthmeier’s office for comment.
