FL Strike Team Begins Rescuing Sex Trafficking Victims Exploited by Migrant Smugglers

A recently launched anti-human trafficking team in Florida rescued 10 victims and arrested several perpetrators. The state says the team was created to combat criminal groups “exploiting Biden's open border to bring trafficking victims” into the United States.

The Florida Human Trafficking Strike Team is a multi-agency operation that was launched to dismantle a massive trafficking ring operating in multiple locations across the state after authorities became aware of a trafficker who was recruiting women from Colombia and of Venezuela and forced them into prostitution, according to Attorney General Ashley Moody's Office.

“Until Biden does his job and closes the border, we must continue to develop new methods to combat international criminal networks that are exploiting Biden's reckless agenda to perpetuate crime in Florida,” Moody said.

Moody says the state is proactive in enforcing the law because it “falls on the shoulders of these people who support me to make sure we save those who are being exploited.”

The strike force of several law enforcement and social agencies constitutes the latest investment made by the State to combat the trafficking epidemic.

“Human trafficking is a horrific crime, enslaving millions of people around the world,” Moody said.

So far, Gov. Ron DeSantis has approved nearly $5 million to expand access to emergency beds for survivors of human trafficking, WCJB-TV reports. And starting July 1, the state will launch its human trafficking hotline, 855-FLA-SAFE.

The launch of the response team follows a collaborative effort to rescue 10 women held captive in the Tampa Bay area by an alleged sex trafficking ringleader identified by law enforcement as Lina Payne.

Investigators accuse Payne of using the companies as a front to exploit women recruited from Colombia and Venezuela.

“What we discovered was a fully functioning and highly organized international human trafficking operation based in Hillsborough and Manatee counties,” said FDLE Special Agent in Charge Mark Brutnell.

Payne is accused of frequently traveling to these countries and promising decent work to the victims, but once they arrived in the United States, she allegedly forced them into prostitution, living in hair and massage parlors, and take their identity documents.

She allegedly demanded they pay between $40,000 and $50,000 to be brought to the United States.

Payne's boyfriend, Sebastian Jurado, and his son, Andres Payne, were also allegedly involved in trafficking the victims, Intercessors for America reports.

Payne, Jurado and his son were arrested, but another suspected trafficker remains at large.

“Biden's border crisis is emboldening transnational criminal organizations and as a result we are seeing horrific cases of human trafficking right here in Florida. The disturbing facts of this case underscore the need for our new statewide response team and demonstrate how this team of experts from investigators, prosecutors, analysts and victim advocates can help coordinate efforts to stop trafficking operations and rescue victims,” Moody explained.

The response team was also able to identify 117 other victims involved in Payne's trafficking operation over the years.

“We're talking about human lives. If someone drowned, we were going to save them. These are people who are lost at sea, in hell, living in captivity. We are going to rescue them,” Pasco said. County Sheriff Chris Nocco.

“By working together, we have a better chance of preventing bad actors, like the suspects in today’s case, from abusing and taking advantage of victims who, in some cases, are simply trying to survive,” said Mark Glass, commissioner of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. said.

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