An undercover operation in Homestead resulted in the arrest of 12 men, announced Miami-Dade County State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle.
The suspects, whose ages range from 22 to 51, were arrested after responding to online ads offering sexual services with minors between the ages of 13 and 15, according to police reports.
Authorities conducted the operation Tuesday night at a hotel whose location was not disclosed. “These predators intended to buy minors, and we were able to intervene before there was an actual victim to rescue,” Fernandez Rundle stated.
She added that the men explicitly described the various types of sexual acts they were willing to pay for. The arrests coincide with the launch of the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office’s human trafficking task force—comprised of 70 law enforcement agencies, including state and federal partners—ahead of the FIFA World Cup matches.
With thousands of people expected to visit South Florida for the games, Fernandez Rundle noted, “We know that when the good guys arrive, the bad guys arrive too.”
Local organizations are also preparing to address this issue. Camillus House is opening 50 additional beds for victims and is preparing to handle calls related to human trafficking during the FIFA World Cup matches.
Erika Pineros, director of anti-trafficking services at Camillus House, noted that while the Homestead operation involved strangers, in most cases, traffickers and victims know each other. “It’s something you don’t see at first glance; we hope we don’t receive as many victims, but anything is possible,” Pineros said.
She noted that the girls often refer to their traffickers as “my boyfriend” rather than “my pimp,” and that she has also seen cases where “parents do it with their own children.”
If you suspect a case of human trafficking, you can call the national hotline available 24 hours a day at 1-888-373-7888.
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