Eye wasn’t sure if we should give a Wink to the rescue of 54 people out of human trafficking or a Stink for the fact this is going on in North Florida – right in front of our eyes!

This week more than 30 arrests in Jacksonville and another 24 in Nassau County happened because of Operation Cross Country, a powerful initiative led by the FBI to combat human trafficking. The sheer scale of this operation is staggering. These aren’t just numbers; they’re lives saved, lives rescued from unimaginable horrors.

According to Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters, this operation isn’t just about making arrests. It’s about something far more profound: rescuing trafficked juveniles and women and building solid cases against those who profit from their enslavement.

The FBI, alongside its partners, located over 200 victims of sex trafficking nationwide. These are real people, real lives, trapped in a web of despair that most of us can barely fathom.

Assistant Special Agent in Charge Coult Markovsky reveals that right here in north Florida; two child victims were rescued, alongside two adult trafficking victims.

Sherri E. Onks, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Jacksonville, puts it succinctly: Operation Cross Country sends a clear and unwavering message that exploiting others will not be tolerated. Justice will be served, and with the collaboration of law enforcement and its partners, these offenders will be brought to justice. The FBI encourages vigilance, urging us all to stand against this menace and be the eyes and ears that could save a life.

The good news of this story is this: Operation Cross Country’s rescued victims are no longer trapped and will be given the help they need to heal — and the traffickers will be brought to justice and hopefully will never see the light of day again. Let them now see what it feels like to be enslaved inside prison bars.