KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The FBI announced Monday afternoon it launched a nationwide sting operation to stop nationwide sex-trafficking ring, including in Kansas City.
The operation, known as Operation Cross Country, located 84 minor victims of child sex trafficking and child sexual exploitation offenses and located 37 actively missing children too.
The FBI worked with local and state operations in all around the country during the two weeks of the operation.
Among the locations the FBI and local law enforcement raided was in Kansas City.
Two adolescent victims were identified and located in Kansas City during the raids.
The average age of victims located during the nationwide operation was 15 and a half years old, while the youngest victim discovered was 11 years old.
"Human trafficking is among the most heinous crimes the FBI encounters,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Unfortunately, such crimes—against both adults and children—are far more common than most people realize. As we did in this operation, the FBI and our partners will continue to find and arrest traffickers, identify and help victims, and raise awareness of the exploitation our most vulnerable populations.”
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