A multi-agency collaborative effort to shut down prostitution and human trafficking resulted in the arrests of 37 suspects.
The agencies involved in the sting operation were the San Luis Obispo, Pismo Beach and Arroyo Grande police departments. The operation targeted illegal activities that have increased in the cities’ local hotels and motels. Officers used the internet and mobile communications to solicit the services of prostitutes.
According to the press release from the SLOPD, many under-aged females are used by pimps to engage in sex acts. Often these under-aged females are held against their will and are coerced into services through force, fear, drugs and retaliation.
The three departments worked together for a three-night operation that targeted the prostitution industry. They used both male and female undercover police officers to identify and arrest prostitutes and their customers, commonly referred to as “Johns”. Many of the prostitutes arrested were from out of town while some of the Johns were local.
A collage of some of those arrested in the sting
Read More:
KCOY: 37 arrested in SLO prostitution crackdown
Santa Maria Times: 37 arrested in prostitution sting in SLO county
