politics
Los Angeles Police Arrest 25 People in Hoover Criminals Sex Trafficking Investigation
Authorities conducted a coordinated operation targeting a prostitution ring along Figueroa Street in south Los Angeles. Officials said the effort resulted in 25 arrests and identified more than 50 victims.
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The area, known locally as the Blade, has long been associated with street-level prostitution. Prosecutors said the ring recruited girls as young as 14, many from foster homes, and used physical violence and psychological control to keep victims working.
Court documents described specific acts of violence, including one alleged pimp who bit a victim's cheek and another who required a victim to obtain an abortion and return to work the same day. Officials said victims were also branded with tattoos of their alleged controllers' names or nicknames.
The gang, which formed in the late 1960s and split from the Crips, has operated in Los Angeles for decades and expanded into narcotics and prostitution during the 1980s crack epidemic.
"They lure young children with promises of money, expensive clothes, affection, and a place to sleep," a police chief said. "Then they trap them through violence, intimidation, addiction, and fear." Prosecutors said the investigation identified more than 50 victims and that additional arrests are expected. Officials vowed to continue enforcement along the corridor.
