Santa Barbara County Sheriff's officials say a recent operation involving the county's Human Trafficking Task Force resulted in multiple arrests.
Sting operations reportedly took place between February 9 and 12. Sheriff's officials say 14 sex buyers were arrested, and two potential human trafficking victims were identified and connected with local resources.
Santa Barbara County's stings were part of the statewide "Operation Reclaim Rebuild," which officials say resulted in a total of 477 arrests and the rescue of 73 juvenile and adult victims of human trafficking.
The Santa Barbara County Human Trafficking Task Force was established in 2016 and is comprised of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, Santa Barbara Police Department, Santa Maria Police Department, and the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office.
If you suspect someone is a victim of human trafficking, call the sheriff's anonymous tip line at (805) 681-4171 or submit a tip on the sheriff's website.
