The New York Police Department (NYPD) announced that its crackdown during the 2026 FIFA World Cup led to 89 arrests on a range of alleged human trafficking offences, including commercial sexual exploitation.
Forty-three trafficking survivors, including seven minors, were also rescued during the force's 39-day operation, which ran from 11 June to 19 July.
The operation involved coordination with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and used intelligence-led investigations, surveillance and the monitoring of online activity.
The NYPD said in a statement that the operation targeted suspected traffickers, previously convicted sex offenders and individuals found to be out of compliance with supervision requirements.
Survivors were immediately connected with food, clothing and housing support services after being rescued.
Inside NYPD's Multi-Year Preparation
Inspector Gary Marcus revealed in an interview that the operation had been planned years in advance.
He said officers visited registered human traffickers to ensure they were complying with the terms of their release and reiterated that police were closely monitoring them.
'When we talk about the outreach and the prep we do, a large part of that involved visiting the known sex offenders, particularly the known human traffickers, in our registry,' the commanding officer of the Special Victims Unit added.
One operation highlighted by the force involved the rescue of a minor from a hotel.
Authorities said they were able to rescue the child after intercepting an online communication that suggested sex trafficking activity.
NYPD Assistant Commissioner Kathleen Baer said: 'We had advocates at the hotel operations sitting in a room right next door, so as soon as we took a survivor out of that situation, they were able to meet with an advocate, talk about services, and really just take the temperature down of a situation that could seem really scary at the time.'
Anti-Trafficking Operations During Major Events
Although major sporting events do not directly cause a spike in human trafficking, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) said: 'The sheer scale of the tournament... creates a sudden spike in tourism, transient labour, and service demands that acts as a magnet for criminal networks.'
As a result, local authorities often increase surveillance, conduct undercover operations and work closely with hotels, transport providers and victim advocacy organisations during such events.
Although the FIFA World Cup has now concluded, officials said investigations linked to the operation remain ongoing.
The Broader World Cup 2026 Security Plan
The increased efforts by local authorities extended well beyond New York City.
The Department of Homeland Security said more than 673 human-trafficking-related arrests were made nationwide.
New Jersey also announced similar results, with agencies recovering 97 trafficking victims and arresting 71 suspects.
Meanwhile, authorities in Kansas City said they recovered missing children connected to ongoing investigations through FBI-led operations.
