CBP Air and Marine Operations Assists with Sex Trafficking Rescues and Arrests
A CBP Air and Marine Operations (AMO) flight crew, assigned to the Jacksonville Air and Marine Branch, assisted Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Aiken County Sheriff’s office on a sex-trafficking investigation in Trenton, South Carolina on April 3.
Jacksonville, Florida conducted aerial
surveillance during a sex-trafficking
investigation in South Carolina.
An AMO AS350 A-Star helicopter crew conducted aerial surveillance and overhead watch as HSI and Aiken County SWAT entered the property in a rural area of South Carolina. The property consisted of a primary residence and three trailers.
The AMO AS350 crew provided overhead watch and perimeter security during the enforcement action to eliminate the potential of fleeing felons. Officer safety was imperative during the operation due to numerous confined entries and the possibility of retaliation from the subjects.
The AMO flight crew identified a white sedan leaving the property prior to SWAT entry. The vehicle was stopped after exiting, and resulted in two felony arrests. During SWAT entry of the target location, three additional felony arrests were made and three female sex-trafficking victims were rescued. The investigation and search is ongoing, which may lead to more arrests or rescues.
imperative aerial security during arrests
and rescues of individuals inside the
property.
AMO is a federal law enforcement organization dedicated to serving and protecting the American people through advanced aeronautical and maritime capabilities. AMO interdicts unlawful people and cargo approaching U.S. borders, investigates criminal networks and provides domain awareness in the air and maritime environments, and responds to contingencies and national taskings. With approximately 1,800 federal agents and mission support personnel, 240 aircraft and 300 marine vessels operating throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands, AMO serves as the nation’s experts in airborne and maritime law enforcement.
In Fiscal Year 2018, AMO enforcement actions resulted in the approximate seizure or disruption of 283,503 pounds of cocaine, 301,553 pounds of marijuana, 108,444 pounds of methamphetamine, 872 weapons, and $34.2 million; 2,373 arrests; and 47,744 apprehensions of illegal aliens.
More than 42,000 frontline CBP officers and Border Patrol agents protect nearly 7,000 miles of land border and 328 ports of entry—including official crossings by land, air, and sea
Human trafficking is a heinous international crime, and as the State Department notes in its most recent report on the subject, it is unfortunately flourishing due to current global financial issues. With global demand for labor decreasing, impoverished workers find themselves taking greater risks than before in order to survive. The result: “a recipe for greater forced labor of migrant workers and commercial sexual exploitation of women in prostitution.”
In fiscal year 2016 (latest figures) HSI initiated 1,029 investigations with a nexus to human trafficking and recorded 1,952 arrests, 1,176 indictments, and 631 convictions; 435 victims were identified and assisted. ICE continues to make human trafficking cases a top investigative priority, bringing traffickers to justice and connecting victims to services to help them restore their lives.
Blue Lightning
The Blue Lightning Initiative (BLI), led by the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Department of Transportation, is an element of the DHS Blue Campaign. The BLI trains airline personnel to identify potential traffickers and human trafficking victims, and to report their suspicions to federal law enforcement. To date, more than 70,000 personnel in the aviation industry have been trained through the BLI, and actionable tips continue to be reported to law enforcement.
Blue Lightning Initiative Training Module
The “FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016,” signed by the President on July 15, 2016, requires air carriers to provide initial and annual flight attendant training regarding recognizing and responding to potential human trafficking victims. Becoming a BLI partner and using the virtual training is a simple and responsible way to adhere to the new requirement.
We recently updated the BLI training based on feedback from airlines and human trafficking survivors.
The new BLI training, which can be previewed through the 3-minute trailer below, is 17 minutes in length, and is comprised of four lessons that include:
- What is Human Trafficking?
- Indicators of Human Trafficking Activity
- Reporting Suspected Human Trafficking
- Indicator Challenge
For more information about CBP, visit: CBP.gov, Flickr, DVIDS, or follow us on Twitter at @CBP and @CBP Florida.