Hundreds Arrested, Dozens Rescued During Statewide Human Trafficking Operation

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) -- The Los Angeles County Regional Human Trafficking Task Force announced the details of a three-day, multi-agency operation aimed at combating human trafficking during a press conference Tuesday.

Operation Reclaim and Rebuild, which took place from Jan. 25 to Jan. 27, resulted in the arrest of 510 people and the rescue of 56 victims.

"The breadth and scope of Operation Reclaim and Rebuild was specifically time for January, which is human trafficking awareness month," said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Chief Jim McDonnell. "The message we hope to send to the traffickers is don't do business in Los Angeles County or the state of California because we will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law."

Since the task force was established in Nov. 2015, 221 victims, 157 of which are children, have been rescued, while 948 suspects have been arrested in connection to human trafficking.