Homeland Security Investigations, local, state, federal police tackle drugs, guns, sex trafficking during World Games
Birmingham AL July 19 2022 In the weeks leading up to The World Games, Homeland Security Investigations Birmingham headed up an operation with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to minimize threats in the Birmingham area.
“Operation Games STOP” focused on drug trafficking and human exploitation offenses.
According to a release from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the four-week operation resulted in:
34 arrests of commercial sex buyers
six arrests on human trafficking related charges
eight arrests of adult males for online enticement of a minor and traveling to meet a minor for sex
15 adult sex trafficking victims identified and provided services
four minor victims of labor trafficking identified and provided services
two minor sex trafficking victims identified and provided services
11 minor victims of online sexual exploitation and sextortion identified
seven adult labor trafficking victims identified and provided services
seven missing and endangered minors were located, recovered, and provided services
nine felony drug arrests
one arrest of a fugitive from Michigan on charges of felony impersonation of a police officer
over a dozen outstanding state and local arrest warrants served on people encountered, including one for attempted murder
seizure of nine firearms
over 20 search warrants executed
seizure of more than $30K in counterfeit goods
“Major sporting events like this routinely attract transnational criminal organizations and other bad actors involved in illicit criminal activity such as human exploitation crimes, drug trafficking and the sale of counterfeit merchandise,” said Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger, who oversees HSI operations in Georgia and Alabama. “Working in conjunction with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners we executed a successful operation that disrupted potential threats to public safety, rescued many human trafficking victims and connected them with the trauma-informed victim support services that they will need to recover.”
