Many, many people criticize the government, and it seems that the news is full of negative reports about our politicians and our political system. Let’s thank God for some good news from a successful FBI operation.

“A monthlong FBI-led operation to identify and arrest sex traffickers and recover child victims has resulted in dozens of arrests across the country and the identification and recovery of more than 100 juveniles.

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The initiative during the month of July, dubbed Operation Independence Day, relied on more than 400 law enforcement agencies working on FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Forces in each of the Bureau’s 56 field offices. The sweep included undercover operations and has led to the opening of five dozen federal criminal investigations. Agents and analysts at FBI Headquarters and in the field worked closely with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) to identify young runaways, missing kids, and juveniles who may have been subjected to human trafficking.

In all, 103 juveniles were identified or recovered and 67 suspected traffickers were arrested. The sweep resulted in 60 new federal investigations.

‘The FBI is fiercely focused on recovering child victims and arresting the sex traffickers who exploit them,’ FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a statement. ‘Through operations like this, the FBI helps child victims escape the abusive life of sex trafficking.’ . . .

In his remarks, Director Wray said the FBI’s focus on the issue is not confined to a single week or month each year. The effort to find and stop traffickers and recover kids is ongoing and continuous.

‘Our agents, intelligence analysts, professional staff, and victim specialists work tirelessly before, during, and after these operations to make sure that victims get the help they need to reclaim their lives,’ Wray said.”

Operation Independence Day 2019 Final Statistics

• Minor Victims Recovered: 82
• Minor Victims Identified: 21
• Adult Victims Encountered: 39
• Traffickers Arrested: 67
• Nationwide Operations Conducted: 161
• Federal Cases Initiated: 60

(Excerpt from FBI.gov.)

Let’s pray for the 100 juveniles who were recovered, that they would find hope, grace, and redemption in Christ. Let’s also pray for the extensive team of FBI agents, counselors, attorneys, and other professionals who will be working with the recovered children and prosecuting the suspected traffickers.