ChulaVistaToday Staff
SAN DIEGO.– A recent statewide operation against human trafficking in San Diego County resulted in the arrest of 105 individuals for purchasing sex and four people for alleged human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and related crimes, according to local and state authorities.
The arrests were part of Operation “Stand on Demand,” conducted during Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Raids took place at motels in National City, Santee, and San Marcos, as well as in neighborhoods where commercial sexual activity was openly reported.
The operation also implemented a new California law that criminalizes loitering with the intent to purchase sex, aimed at reducing the demand that fuels human trafficking. According to San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan, dozens of buyers were cited under this law in areas known as “the blade.”
Stephan emphasized that the operation is part of her office’s ongoing efforts to combat sexual exploitation and human trafficking. She also acknowledged the work of the Human Trafficking Task Force, Deputy District Attorney David Jarman, and Carolyn Matzger, Chief of the Sex Crimes and Human Trafficking Division, for their leadership and dedication.
Human trafficking remains a highly profitable criminal industry, and experts warn that the arrests represent only a fraction of a broader problem involving coercion, abuse, and exploitation. Identifying and protecting victims continues to be a critical challenge in these operations.