SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Scottsdale police recently reported making over 150 arrests during a 12-day operation focusing on human trafficking.
The agency said Wednesday that several police agencies throughout Arizona participated in an operation that yielded 158 arrests for charges involving child sex trafficking, prostitution, pandering, luring a minor for sexual exploitation, attempted sexual conduct with a minor, and drug possession.
Scottsdale Police Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit (HEAT) Supervisor Sgt. Andrew Parrott called the operation successful.
“It seems like we’re all one big agency when we come together and do these types of things and I think that’s one of the main reasons we’re so successful," Parrott said.
The operation occurred from Jan. 23 to Feb. 10. Scottsdale police said the operations were "decoy-based," meaning no actual children were involved.
Parrott couldn't say exactly how the operation is conducted, but he told 12News it involves detectives acting as children in online chat rooms.
“We were able to kind of mimic what these guys look for and then obviously we don’t have to get real kids involved and we can stop these people before they actually victimize a child," Parrott said.
Police warn parents that many offenders look for their victims online and they should keep track of their child's activity.
“The phones and the online gaming is really where these kids can get targeted," Parrott said. “You need to know who you’re talking to, who you’re trusting and what you’re putting out online because there is a chance that can get disclosed or leaked somehow.”
Names of the arrested individuals were not disclosed. Police said the arrests were for 37 felonies and 121 misdemeanors.
Valley police departments have routinely conducted these types of operations that focus on preventing human trafficking. In 2022, several local agencies reported making over 100 arrests during an undercover sting.
Anyone with information about someone being trafficked can call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888.
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Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
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One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
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