Police vice units trained to deal with sex trafficking and prostitution have reportedly made nearly 200 arrests in New York in operations leading up to the Super Bowl, which will take place nearby in New Jersey.
The Super Bowl is the annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL). The New York Police Department (NYPD) units have converged on certain parts of the city, conducting both street busts and high-end, undercover call girl stings to try and curtail some of the sex trafficking business in anticipation of the Super Bowl, which is one of the world”s largest venues for the crime.
According to CNN, law enforcement officials said that the 200 arrests are in line with the number of arrests made in previous sweeps in New York, and the NYPD and the Federal Bureau of Investigation said they are dedicating more resources to target traffickers who victimize young women and men in the sex trade. The police department has stressed that in most cases, they treat sex workers as victims and reports mentioned that traffickers see major sporting events as lucrative opportunities to bring in adults and children who have been forced into prostitution. Earlier this month, US Republican Chris Smith warned that lawmakers would have their hands full on the issue around Super Bowl time. (ANI)