Florida’s Operation Dragon Eye rescues dozens of ‘critically missing’ children in massive sting

Dozens of children were rescued in a blow to child sex trafficking operations in Florida, officials announced Monday.

Dubbed Operation Dragon Eye, the initiative was spearheaded by the U.S. Marshals Office for the Central District of Florida and supported by the state Attorney General James Uthmeier’s Office of Statewide Prosecution (OSP).

The effort involved 20 agencies working in tandem to locate 60 critically missing children and apprehend suspects tied to trafficking, drugs and child endangerment.

“The real heroes behind this operation are the law enforcement who built and executed this mission,” Uthmeier said in a release. “As your Attorney General and a father of three young kids, protecting children is my top priority. If you victimize children, you’re going to prison, end of story.”

“Though our open southern border invites criminal activity like human trafficking, states can combat it with stronger penalties and increased training for emergency personnel to recognize and respond to trafficking, and today I was pleased to institute those measures in Florida.”