Human Trafficking Investigation Leads to Rescue of 4 Victims, 1 Arrest
Updated: 6:39 PM CDT Mar 19, 2024
PEARL, Miss. — Four victims were rescued, and one arrest was made as a result of a week-long human trafficking investigator training that culminated in an operation in Pearl.
Attorney General Lynn Fitch made the announcement Tuesday. Fitch said her office held the training to help officers understand the criminal offense of human trafficking and provide insight into what they will encounter during an investigation. They also learned about software and other investigative tools.
At the conclusion of the training, officers from the Pearl Police Department, Capitol Police Department and the Mississippi Department of Corrections took part in an operation that ended in the recovery of the victims and the arrest.
“In addition to taking criminals off the streets and ending this violent cycle in our communities,” Fitch said in a statement. “It is our hope that we can help these victims heal and restore their dignity and value. I am grateful for the investigators and prosecutors who worked together to reach these victims and stop these predators from inflicting more harm.”
In the past three years, the Attorney General’s Office has completed 56 multi-jurisdictional operations across the state that have led to the recovery of 331 victims and 86 arrests. Fitch’s team has trained 463 officers.