Santa Clara County Task Force Rescues 53 Trafficking Survivors, Arrests 25 During World Cup

During the six matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, an 11‑county Bay Area task force identified 53 human‑trafficking survivors, including 11 minors, and arrested 25 suspected traffickers. The operation, led by the Santa Clara County Human Trafficking Task Force and the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center, conducted 66 coordinated raids, cited 41 sex buyers, and connected all survivors with community agencies such as Community Solutions and YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley for individualized support.

District Attorney Jeff Rosen praised the effort, stating, “We are proud that Santa Clara County showcased itself to the world so well and so safely, and with one voice declared our intolerance for the illegal trafficking of human beings.” The task force’s work built on a similar initiative during the Super Bowl earlier in the year, which had resulted in 29 arrests and 73 identified survivors. Federal partners, including the FBI, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, assisted in the operation.