14 arrested in human trafficking sting at San Diego Comic-Con

SAN DIEGO (KSWB/KUSI) – Fourteen people were arrested and 10 potential victims were recovered after a human trafficking sting at San Diego Comic-Con, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Wednesday.

As part of the sting, which was conducted Thursday through Saturday, law enforcement personnel posed as sex buyers to identify and contact potential trafficking victims and arrest their traffickers, according to the attorney general's office. Officers also posted undercover ads soliciting sex in order to arrest buyers.

Of the 10 potential victims recovered, one was said to be a 16-year-old, the release stated. Child Welfare Services and other advocates were present to provide support to the victims, Bonta's office said.

“Unfortunately, sex traffickers capitalize on large scale events such as Comic-Con to exploit their victims for profit,” Bonta said in a statement included in Wednesday's news release. “These arrests send a clear message to potential offenders that their criminal behavior will not be tolerated. We are grateful to all our dedicated partners involved in the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force, whose collaboration has been invaluable."

The task force responsible for the sting included members of the FBI, the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, as well as several local and state agencies and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS).

“There is no more insidious crime than human trafficking,” San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez added, per a statement published in the release. “The coercion and violence which enslaves people for profit and places them into forced labor or sex is criminal. As the Sheriff I support the efforts of all our justice partners in holding perpetrators accountable."

San Diego Comic-Con, an annual convention focusing on comic books, film, television and pop culture, is said to be the "largest comics and pop culture event in the United States," according to the San Diego Tourism Authority. This year's event, which wrapped up Sunday, drew an estimated 135,000 attendees over four days, Nexstar's KWSB reported.