Sixty missing children have been rescued in Florida as part of a major crackdown on human trafficking.
The sting operation, called “Dragon Eye,” was led by the U.S. Marshals Office for the Middle District of Florida and took place across several counties in the Tampa Bay area.
The children, aged 9 to 17, were identified as critically missing and at high risk of abuse, exploitation, or violence.
The investigation led to the arrest of eight suspects, according to the Daily Mail, who are now facing serious charges, including human trafficking, child endangerment, drug possession, and interference with custody.
Authorities have not released their identities, but Florida’s Office of Statewide Prosecution has taken over the criminal cases.
“As a father of three young children, this work is deeply personal. If you target children, you are going to prison. End of story,” Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said regarding the operation.
He emphasized that protecting Florida’s youth is a top priority for his office.
One of the most disturbing details revealed was that some of the rescued girls were found to be pregnant.
Natasha Nascimento, founder of the nonprofit Redefining Refuge, shared that one girl had been forced to use drugs throughout her pregnancy by her trafficker. “Now a baby has the chance to be born healthy. That child will not start life with trauma but with recovery,” she said.
Her organization is helping provide care and support for the victims.
U.S. Marshal William Berger called the mission the most successful child recovery effort in the agency’s history.
He said that every child recovered received physical and psychological support, and that authorities are doing everything possible to prevent them from falling back into dangerous situations.
“Sixty kids saved sends a strong message. Florida will never be a safe place for traffickers. We will keep searching until every missing child is brought home,” said Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass.
However, he reminded the public that the fight is far from over.
While this rescue was a success, it also points to a deeper issue. Human trafficking is closely tied to illegal immigration and weak border security.
Florida is one of the top states for reported trafficking cases, with over 1,800 tips sent to the National Human Trafficking Hotline last year alone. Many victims are lured online and then controlled through threats, drugs, and violence.
The operation in Florida comes as the Trump administration continues to push strong border policies to stop trafficking at its source.
Since President Trump returned to office, illegal border crossings by Chinese nationals have dropped by 97 percent.
Under the Biden administration, more than 60,000 Chinese nationals entered the country illegally, many of them young men of military age and many charged with trafficking.
These numbers raised serious concerns about national security and criminal activity.
Earlier this year, the Trump Justice Department also led the arrest of eight illegal immigrants tied to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. They were charged with trafficking South American women into the United States and forcing them into prostitution.
When the border is secure, it becomes harder for traffickers to operate. Florida’s rescue mission proves that coordinated law enforcement can make a real difference in saving and preserving the most vulnerable among us.
But it also highlights the need to combat illegal immigration if we hope to stop this evil before it reaches American neighborhoods.
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