The Scottsdale Police Department announced Wednesday that 173 arrests were made during a human trafficking enforcement operation that ran from Jan. 21 through Feb. 14.
The effort was led by the department’s Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit and involved multiple partner agencies. Investigators focused on identifying and apprehending individuals connected to the commercial sex trade, including suspected traffickers, sex buyers and individuals accused of attempting to exploit minors.
Police stated that no real children were involved in the investigation and that all enforcement activity relied on undercover and decoy tactics.
Charges stemming from the operation included child sex trafficking, attempted sexual conduct with a minor and luring a minor for sexual exploitation. Additional arrests involved prostitution-related offenses, transporting individuals for the purpose of prostitution, misconduct involving weapons, resisting arrest, narcotics possession, outstanding felony warrants and trespassing.
During the course of the investigation, officers also identified multiple victims of sex trafficking. Those individuals were connected with community-based resources and support services.
