TBI: 41 arrested in connection with human trafficking [View all]

http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/crime/2016/08/05/tbi-arrests-41-individuals-connected-human-trafficking/88290964/

TBI: 41 arrested in connection with human trafficking

Thomas Novelly, tnovelly@tennessean.com 5:49 p.m. CDT August 5, 2016

Over the course of three days this week, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation arrested 41 individuals, 14 of whom were from Nashville, connected with human trafficking, the TBI announced Friday morning.
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More than half of the 34 men specified that they wanted to have sex with minors, the TBI said. Six women and one juvenile also were arrested.
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During the operation, undercover agents posted ads on Backpage.com. Some agents posed as underage girls. According to the TBI, 485 men responded to the ads posted and more than 5,300 responded to the ads through texts or phone.

Assistant Special Agent in Charge Margie Quin said during the news conference that they were overwhelmed and disturbed by the amount of responses the false ads received. Quin said that on the first day of the operation on Tuesday afternoon, agents received more than 216 responses in just seven hours.
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