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| -Lurid Crime Tales- |
| 32 Arrested in Knoxville Human Trafficking Operation |
| 2016-05-24 |
| [TBINEWS.WORDPRESS] A three-day operation by Special Agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and detectives with the Knoxville Police Department to combat human trafficking in Knoxville has resulted in the arrest of 32 men and women on prostitution and human trafficking-related charges. Two of the men, including a children’s minister, responded to ads for what they thought were girls under the age of 18. The Knoxville anti-trafficking operation, called "Operation Someone Like Me", is the fifth operation of its kind in the state between the TBI and partner agencies to help identify, investigate and prosecute trafficking, and rescue victims. With the partnership including the Knoxville Police Department, Community Coalition Against Human Trafficking, End Slavery Tennessee, and Second Life Chattanooga, TBI Agents and intelligence analysts embarked on an undercover operation to identify potential victims of trafficking, arrest those seeking to purchase illicit sex from a juvenile, and learn more about the specific nuances of this type of crime. "Finding these people who are trying to buy Tennessee children is a priority for us," says TBI Director Mark Gwyn. "We want anyone responding to these ads to think there may be a TBI Agent on the other end of it. We will do whatever we can to make a difference in reducing the human trafficking that takes place in Tennessee." During the three-day operation, undercover Agents posted ads on Backpage.com. During that time, more than 300 contacts were made to those ads. In one ad the Agents posed as a juvenile girl. That ad received more than two dozen contacts. "Human trafficking is a scourge on society," says Knoxville Police Chief David Rausch. "We will continue to commit all the necessary resources and work alongside our law enforcement partners to help protect our most precious resource, our children." |
| Posted by:Fred |