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Seattle police crack down on crime, prostitution along Aurora Avenue
Seattle police shared their results of "Operation Circuit Breaker," a two-day effort aimed at preventing human trafficking and violent crime along the notorious Aurora Avenue corridor.
SEATTLE - Seattle police targeted human trafficking and ongoing violence along the Aurora Avenue corridor as part of "Operation Circuit Breaker," a two-day joint initiative conducted alongside partner agencies.
The enforcement effort took place on June 11 and June 14. Seattle police participated in the multi-agency operation by focusing specifically on the city's Aurora Avenue corridor.
The sting ran simultaneously with "Operation Red Card," a World Cup-related operation targeting violent offenders with outstanding warrants. At least two cases from that initiative were linked back to Aurora Avenue.
Reaching sex trafficking victims
During the two-day operation, officers contacted 60 individuals identified as sex workers along the corridor. Ten of those individuals accepted support services provided by law enforcement and partner agencies.
Seattle Police Deputy Chief Andre Sayles highlighted the safety risks and complex dynamics involved in outreach efforts along the stretch, historically referred to as "The Blade."
"You have the pimps and the criminals that are controlling these individuals, so we have to be aware of that, and also be aware for our safety and the safety of the sex workers to bring them back to their families," Sayles said.
Sayles also emphasized the constant nature of activity in the area. "It happens 24 hours, 7 days a week," he said.
A woman standing in the street as a car passes on Seattle's Aurora Avenue
Arrests, interventions, and federal support
Officers removed three juveniles from the Aurora Avenue corridor and arrested four individuals identified as pimps or buyers.
"We recovered three juveniles during this operation," Sayles said. "Two of the juveniles were returned to their parents or guardians and then, one of the juveniles actually had a warrant out for their arrest and they were taken to the youth services."
Sayles noted that the heightened police presence caused many buyers and traffickers to clear out of the area.
"During our operation, there were a lot of the pimps and the sex workers that left the area because they understood what we were doing," Sayles added.
Federal authorities also partnered with local police during the World Cup.
"HSI plays an integral role in combating human trafficking by working with its law enforcement partners to deter, disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks that engage in it," said Jason Chudy, public affairs officer for Homeland Security Investigations Seattle. "Special agents use their expertise and rely on HSI’s authorities to seize assets and eliminate profit incentives, work with nongovernmental organizations to protect and assist victims, and bring traffickers to justice."
Chudy added that HSI special agents partnered with the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit, rescuing five victims of human trafficking and arresting four suspects for sex trafficking.
FBI operations in Seattle
The FBI also provided investigative support to regional partners during the effort.
"FBI Seattle worked closely with federal, state, and local partners by providing robust investigative, intelligence, and operational capabilities in pursuit of nationwide initiatives to continue combatting human trafficking in Washington state — an effort which will continue beyond the push of the last few months," FBI Seattle said in a statement. "As we do every day, the FBI is continuously gathering information and collaborating with our partners to identify, assess, and address any potential threats throughout our community."
The bureau noted that from June 8 to July 19, FBI Seattle coordinated two initiatives supporting Global Chain and the FIFA World Cup targeting traffickers and child sexual exploitation offenders. These nationwide initiatives involved collaboration with more than 130 federal, state, and local law enforcement partners across more than 100 operations in the U.S.
Aurora Avenue in Seattle.
Cyber enforcement and community outreach
In a separate multi-day effort during the World Cup, the Seattle Police Department's ICAC Unit scoured the internet to combat human trafficking activity online.
Other regional partners emphasized employee training and community awareness during the same period.
"The Port of Seattle is committed to the safety of everyone using our facilities, and in our community, especially those being trafficked," the Port of Seattle said in a statement. "We continue to emphasize our anti-human trafficking training for Port and tenant employees and convene groups that work in different industries focused on anti-human trafficking efforts. We want people to feel informed and equipped to report so that our teams can respond and provide the support and resources needed."
Neighborhood business owners and residents along Aurora Avenue continue to look for lasting solutions to improve safety along the corridor. Seattle police say outreach and enforcement efforts will continue across the city.
"We want to continue these efforts, not just through the Aurora corridor area, but throughout Seattle as a whole," Sayles said.
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The Source: Information in this story came from the Seattle Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations Seattle, Port of Seattle, the FBI and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.