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73 rescued during Super Bowl LX sex trafficking operation
Super Bowl 60 may have brought plenty of visitors and economic activity to the Bay Area, but experts say big events like this can also be linked to an increase in human sex trafficking.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Super Bowl 60 brought a surge of visitors and economic activity to the Bay Area. But experts say large-scale events can also be linked to an increase in human sex trafficking.
On Thursday, authorities released the results of a Bay Area-wide operation aimed at identifying traffickers and rescuing victims surrounding the Super Bowl.
By the time the game arrived, local law enforcement agencies had been preparing for at least two years for a potential spike in trafficking activity.
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Officials studied security efforts during Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas in 2024 and reviewed outcomes from Super Bowl 50, held in the Bay Area a decade ago.
"We know that the sporting events themselves don’t drive up human trafficking, but the economics do. Where there is economics, that drives exploitation," said Lt. Josh Singleton of the Human Trafficking Task Force at the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.
Regional effort spans multiple counties
Local perspective:
Singleton said the regional task force operated a centralized command center coordinating nearly 70 law enforcement agencies, from Sonoma County in the north to Monterey County in the south.
"We had a suite of 20 different analysts who were all using the resources at their fingertips to prepare real-time data packets to then send that information back into the field so that law enforcement partners could effectively identify traffickers and apprehend and arrest them," Singleton said.
In total, authorities arrested 29 suspects and rescued 73 victim-survivors. Ten of the victims were minors, and the youngest was 12 years old.
Advocates call collaboration a model for future events
What they're saying:
Perla Flores, founder of the South Bay Coalition to End Human Trafficking, said the regional approach should continue beyond major events.
"It is a great model, and I think it would be amazing to continue these types of regional collaborations because with human trafficking, in particular with sex trafficking, a lot of the time victims are often moved around," Flores said.
Flores said sex trafficking can occur anywhere and at any time. However, major events can create environments that make vulnerable people easier to exploit.
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"We see an increase in tourism, an increase in temporary jobs, short-term rentals and online activity," Flores said. "This growth can create opportunities for exploitation, for example, for youth who are approached online or through social media."
The regional task force plans to continue its efforts during other major events later this year, including the World Cup. Officials also hope their actions raise awareness to help combat trafficking year-round.
Local resources to report suspected sex trafficking or other crimes are available online.
The Source: This story was written based on information from the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office along with the South Bay Coalition to End Human Trafficking.