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OHIO — Attorney General Dave Yost, R-Ohio, announced Monday that a statewide human trafficking operation last week led to the arrest of 135 people.
“Operation Next Door was named to highlight the proximity and prevalence of human trafficking,” Yost said. “Too often, we are lulled into the false narrative that these crimes happen only in the shadows. This is simply not true – human trafficking occurs in plain sight and, unfortunately, may even be fueled by your co-workers or neighbors.”
Yost said more than 100 law enforcement agencies took part in the operation.
Of the people arrested, 32 face felony charges, including promoting prostitution, compelling prostitution, seeking sex with a minor and drug possession and/or trafficking.
Additionally, 103 of the people who were seeking to buy sex were arrested and charged with engaging in prostitution or solicitation. Yost said nine search warrants were also initiated, which included raids on massage parlors in Toledo, Cleveland and Akron areas. Over $62,000 was seized during the operation, along with evidence for long-term investigations, Yost said.
Yost said 67 human trafficking survivors were referred by law enforcement to health-care and social-services organizations.
For more information about the arrests, click here.
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Lydia Taylor
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