2 Teens Rescued From Sex Trafficking During Detroit Auto Show

DETROIT, MI — Two teens were rescued and more than a dozen people were arrested during a sex trafficking sting at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, according to media reports. More than a dozen agencies were involved in the undercover operation.

Additionally, four pimps were among the 16 people who were arrested during the event, and 14 people, including the children, were identified as potential victims, police said. The two teens who were rescued were 15 and 16, and had been brought to Detroit from another city, according to the reports.

Authorities say that during high-profile events like the auto show, online solicitations for escort services increase about 150 percent.

“There was a large influx of people coming into our area and so with that, we do see a trend of increased human trafficking that takes place,” Detroit FBI spokesman Tim Wiley said.

“When you’re drawing in a large number of people, and more specifically, male clientele, they’re traveling away from their families,” Michael Glennon, supervisory special agent for the FBI, told WDIV-TV.“They tend to flock to situations such as that.”

Wiley told WWJ that pimps use different methods to lure people into the sex trade.

“Some of those pimps in the past may have had to use a lot of force or coercion to get someone to get involved in this human trafficking,” he said. “Now — not so much — it might just be a drug addiction. It might be something that was involved more in an online situation as well with all of the sexstortion and different types of opportunities people take.”

Photo via Shutterstock