SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Over a dozen people were arrested during a sting operation that took place during San Diego Comic-Con weekend, according to California Attorney General Rob Bonta.
The operation was conducted from July 24 to 26 during the dates of the popular convention that drew large crowds to the Gaslamp Quarter and other parts of downtown.
During the joint investigation with the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force, undercover agents initiated contact with people intending to buy sex throughout San Diego County.
As a result, 13 people were arrested for solicitation in violation of Penal Code 647(b)(2), Bonta’s office stated in a news release Thursday. Last year, 14 people were arrested during Comic-Con weekend as a result of a similar human trafficking sting.
“Solicitation is a crime, and these arrests send a clear message to potential offenders that we stand ready to hold them accountable,” Bonta said in a statement. “The demand for commercial sex is a driving factor that contributes to human trafficking, where perpetrators profit from the exploitation of people for sex or labor by force, fraud, or coercion.”
According to the news release, while not all commercial sex is attributed to human trafficking, sex buyers may “unknowingly contribute” to trafficking by engaging in solicitation.
Human trafficking comes in many forms, including sex trafficking, forced labor and domestic servitude stemming from force, fraud or coercion, Bonta’s office stated.
The San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force is a collaboration between numerous agencies, including the California Department of Justice, California Highway Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation and others.
If you and someone you know are a victim of trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 for resources. If you or someone else may be in immediate danger, you are encouraged to call 9-1-1.
