18 human trafficking victims have been rescued and three individuals have been taken into custody following a multi-jurisdictional operation in two prominent areas of Mississippi.
According to the attorney general’s office, an operation in Hattiesburg that took place from October 24 to October 26 resulted in two arrests and six victim contacts.
An operation in Jackson County spanning from October 31 to November 2 resulted in one arrest and 12 victim contacts.
“Through operations like these, we are doing more than capturing predators. We are offering victims the bright beacon of hope and truth. Each and every one of these individuals is worthy of freedom and dignity, and there are countless men and women across the state dedicated to fighting for them,” Attorney General Lynn Fitch said. “We celebrate the pathway to freedom these 18 individuals have started to walk, but more importantly, we reaffirm our resolve to find and rescue those still trapped. My message for human trafficking victims is this: we will not give up on you.”
The AG’s office, in coordination with the Lamar County Sheriff’sOffice, Stone County Sheriff’s Office, Columbia Police Department, GautierPolice Department, and Mississippi Department of Revenue, Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) executed the process that led to the liberation of victims and the detainment of the alleged perpetrators.
In the past two years, multi-jurisdictional human trafficking operations have led to the rescue of 312 victims and 81 arrests in Mississippi.
