Law enforcement officials have confirmed that eight missing children were recently discovered in Las Vegas as part of the “Big Search Operation,” which was led by an anti-human trafficking organization and involved multiple law enforcement agencies and religious groups.
In a press release obtained by The Las Vegas Review-Journal, Kim Yoko Smith, a Nevada Highway Patrol spokesperson, confirmed that the operation, which was labeled the “Big Search Operation,” was aimed at locating children who were endangered, missing, and victims of human trafficking.
According to the press release, the “Big Search Operation” was conducted from November 10 to November 16 and was led by F.R.E.E. International, an anti-human trafficking organization based in Las Vegas. The press release explained that law enforcement agencies, such as the Nevada Attorney General’s Office and the Nevada Highway Patrol, and religious groups, such as the Good News Club of Southern Nevada and Liberty Baptist Church, were also part of the missing child recovery operation.
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According to The Las Vegas Review-Journal, while the Nevada Highway Patrol did not disclose how the missing children were discovered or what circumstances the children were found in, law enforcement officials did reveal that one individual, who was not identified in the press release, was arrested. The Nevada Highway Patrol also announced that multiple criminal investigations were launched as a result of the “Big Search Operation.”
The press release noted that “comprehensive resources were made available to the victims found, with the goal of empowering their transition from victims to survivors” and that eight families were provided with “wrap-around services and ministry.”
According to F.R.E.E International’s website, the anti-human trafficking organization that led the recent operation in Las Vegas has “team members who work across the U.S. with local law enforcement, churches, schools, and local and state governments.” The organization was founded to “raise awareness about human trafficking, training local communities how to mobilize and be effective in fighting slavery.”
