The Department of Homeland Security announced that it executed 20 federal warrants and 10 arrests last week, targeting a sex trafficking operation in Los Angeles carried out by the Hoover Criminals Gang. Officials identified 51 victims, some as young as 14, in connection with the arrests.
Special Agent Eddy Wang stated that the agency remains committed to protecting victims and pursuing justice against human traffickers. The arrests are part of Operation Broken Blade, an effort to combat trafficking in the Figueroa Corridor, a strip of neighborhoods south of the city.
Despite a significant decline in illegal border crossings, federal agencies continue to intercept organized smuggling operations that pose a threat to the country. Since the end of 2024, border crossings have plummeted from over 144,000 encounters in December to just 13,500 in May.
As part of ongoing efforts, Acting Assistant DHS Secretary of Public Affairs Lauren Bis emphasized that disrupting sex trafficking rings is a top priority. The suspects arrested last week will face charges that go beyond human exploitation, including federal racketeering charges.
The agency described many of the suspects as "career criminals" with histories of robbery, kidnapping, and burglary. The operation is the second round of arrests made under Broken Blade, an initiative launched in August 2025, in cooperation with various law enforcement agencies.
The 10 suspects are expected to stand trial in March 2027. The agency stated that the actions taken against the suspects are a decisive blow against those who have exploited vulnerable members of the community.
