Six accused of trying to traffic women and teens in Clovis, police say. Arrests made

A sting operation resulted in the arrest of six men who believed they were meeting teens or young women to subject them to human trafficking, Clovis police said Wednesday.

The undercover operation took place late Friday and into Saturday at a Clovis hotel, where the men were arrested without incident, police said in a news release.

Detectives posed as teens or women online and were targeted by men, police said.

At least two of the men arrested believed they were meeting a 16-year-old, according to Ty Wood, a spokesperson for the police department.

Human traffickers, who some may call pimps, often target girls as young as 12 as well as teens and young women, police said. They contact their targets on social media or at malls, group homes and schools.

January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Awareness Month, and police stress that victims can come from all walks of life.

“Talking to your children about the dangers they can face needs to happen throughout the year, not just during National Human Trafficking Prevention Awareness Month,” police said in a news release.

All six suspects were booked into Fresno County Jail on suspicion of felony human trafficking, police said. During the arrests, a loaded firearm and cocaine were located on one man.

The state Department of Justice and Fresno County’s Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium took part in the operation.

Anyone looking for help to escape human trafficking or to help someone they know can call Breaking the Chains at 888-858-2021.