Human Trafficking Bust at San Diego Comic-Con

A major undercover operation at San Diego Comic-Con led to the arrest of 14 individuals on sex solicitation charges and the rescue of 10 victims of human trafficking, including a 16-year-old girl. Conducted by the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force, the sting involved multiple agencies such as the FBI, Homeland Security, and local police, who posed as sex buyers and posted fake advertisements to identify and apprehend traffickers. California Attorney General Rob Bonta emphasized that large-scale events like Comic-Con attract sex traffickers exploiting victims for profit. Support services were provided on-site for the rescued victims. Separately, another operation led to the indictment of 19 people involved in a human smuggling ring that transported migrants from Mexico to San Diego via boats and watercraft, charging between $7,000 and $16,000 per person.