Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch announced the results of a major two-week, statewide operation targeting human trafficking, fentanyl distribution, and sex offender violations. The initiative—Operation Guardian Force—led to 72 arrests and the recovery of 29 human trafficking victims, according to a statement from the Attorney General’s Office.
The coordinated law enforcement operation ran from July 14 to July 29 and involved over 400 officers from federal, state, and local agencies across Mississippi. Led by the Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Task Force, Fentanyl Strike Force, and Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the operation also included sex offender compliance checks and efforts to locate individuals who had failed to register as required.
“My office is committed to taking criminals who traffic people and drugs off the streets and equally committed to setting victims on the road to recovery,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “I am proud of the dedicated investigators and prosecutors from the Attorney General’s Office as well as our partners in local, state, and federal law enforcement for their work on this operation and every day to keep our communities safe.”
Fitch was joined during the operation by Acting Assistant Secretary Andrew Gradison of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF). Gradison observed the AGO’s investigative efforts firsthand, praising the state’s coordinated approach.
“I was honored to witness firsthand Attorney General Fitch’s leadership and Mississippi’s effective coordination between law enforcement and victim services to help save lives,” Gradison said. “The Trump Administration will partner with anyone who will join us in the fight against human trafficking.”
Fitch also expressed appreciation for President Trump, crediting his administration’s prioritization of combatting human trafficking and fentanyl.
“It was an honor to have Acting Assistant Secretary Gradison here to observe the hard work Mississippi’s law enforcement is doing to achieve these same goals,” she said.
Agencies Involved in Operation Guardian Force:
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DEA, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
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Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI), Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics (MBN), Mississippi Office of Homeland Security
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Local agencies including police and sheriff’s departments from Bay St. Louis, Biloxi, Desoto County, Forrest County, Harrison County, Hattiesburg, Horn Lake, Jackson County, Jones County, Lamar County, Lee County, Saltillo, Southaven, Stone County, Tunica County, Tupelo, and Wayne County
Victim Support Services Provided By:
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Gulf Coast Center for Nonviolence
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Center for Violence Prevention
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Transformation Garden
Attorney General Fitch reaffirmed her office’s ongoing commitment to fighting crime and supporting survivors:
“We will continue working alongside our law enforcement and victim services partners to remove traffickers and rebuild lives.”
