Arizona police arrest 202 people in sex-trafficking sting operation

• A crackdown on sexual predators targeting children is making progress in the Canyon State. Arizona authorities said hundreds of people were arrested over 12 days in a sting operation to combat sex trafficking in Scottsdale.
• Officials announced the multi-agency effort on Thursday, saying more than 200 people were arrested in the anti-human trafficking mission.
• Police noted, no children were involved in the operation, instead law enforcement used decoys to communicate with the suspects.

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A crackdown on sexual predators targeting children is making progress in the Canyon State. Arizona authorities said hundreds of people were arrested over 12 days in a sting operation to combat sex trafficking in Scottsdale.

How many people and what were the charges?

Officials announced the multi-agency effort on Thursday, Feb. 20. They said officers arrested more than 200 people in the anti-human trafficking mission.

Police noted no children were involved in the operation. Instead law enforcement used decoys to communicate with the suspects.

The stings resulted in more than 50 suspects booked on felony charges and nearly 150 people arrested on misdemeanors.

Police said the charges ranged from child sex trafficking, attempted sexual conduct with a minor as well as drug charges and felony flight.

Who did the stings target?

The Scottsdale’s Police’s Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit (HEAT), led the operation and said it targeted “sex buyers, child predators” as well as those involved “with the sex trade and trafficking.”

The mission took place from Jan. 22 through Feb. 15.

Have there been similar operations recently?

A similar operation took place in July 2024.

HEAT said that effort led to more than 40 arrests on 11 felonies and 31 misdemeanors. Those charges included sex trafficking, prostitution and drug offenses.