NYPD says dozens rescued from human trafficking during World Cup

New York City Police Department (NYPD) Special Victims Unit detectives rescued 43 individuals, seven of whom were minors, from human trafficking operations during the recent World Cup matches in the New York City area. The successful operations took place between June 11 and July 19, resulting in the arrest of 89 people accused of running trafficking rings.

“

The surprise was really the outpouring of support behind the mission and the collaboration with all our partners.

Inspector Gary Marcus, commanding officer of the Special Victims Unit, highlighted the "outpouring of support" and collaboration with partner agencies during the mission. The rescued individuals, primarily victims of sex trafficking, are now receiving support, including social services, food, housing, and counseling, from the NYPD's Gender-Based Violence Police and Planning Unit.

Law enforcement agencies recognize major sporting events as potential hubs for human trafficking. In preparation for the World Cup, which included eight matches at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, the NYPD dedicated significant resources. This preparation involved visiting registered sex offenders and known human traffickers to ensure compliance with their release terms and to signal that law enforcement was vigilant.

“

We have ongoing investigations now as a result of these operations.

These World Cup operations have generated new leads, with law enforcement agencies building additional cases based on ongoing investigations. Nationally, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security reported over 673 arrests on human-trafficking charges and the rescue of 61 adults and 13 minors during the World Cup period, involving coordinated efforts across local, state, and federal agencies in host cities across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.

“

When we talk about the outreach and the prep we do, a large part of that involved visiting the known sex offenders, particularly the known human traffickers, in our registry.