MIAMI (WSVN) – Local and state officials held a news conference to tout their efforts against human trafficking during the World Cup.<\/p>\n
As millions of soccer fans flocked to South Florida to watch the matches, law enforcement focused on protecting them from would-be predators.<\/p>\n
\u201cSpain won the World Cup, but we did something far more important. We showed the world what a special community we have here in Miami,\u201d said Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez-Rundle.<\/p>\n
Through collaboration among several Miami-Dade agencies, officials were able to combat human trafficking locally and statewide.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe in law enforcement are proud to say [that] we held the line. Our human trafficking task force went into high gear,\u201d said Fernandez-Rundle.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur goal was very simple. It was to make sure that we maintained what we needed to do. With our undercover operations to prevent and the exploitation to make this sort of arrest that we needed to do,\u201d said Fernandez-Rundle.<\/p>\n
Officials touted their success, which began in the weeks leading up to the tournament and lasted until the final whistle.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had 28 undercover operations. We did four per week across the county, tripling the operations that we normally do. This resulted in 178 total arrests. During the same time, we identified 17 suspected victims of human trafficking. Those investigations are ongoing,\u201d said Fernandez-Rundle.<\/p>\n
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said prosecutions and convictions have almost doubled and said they are just getting started.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to throw every resource, every prosecutor, every tool we have taking down those predators and protecting our most vulnerable,\u201d said Uthmeier.<\/p>\n
Due to Florida being known as a top destination for trafficking, officials said they\u2019ll continue to fight it to protect residents.<\/p>\n
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