Operation Code Rescue: 48 Hours, 4 Children Rescued, 4 Arrested

 

By Brett Fletcher

Human trafficking and child exploitation are among the most urgent crises of our time, but across the globe, dedicated task forces and organizations are fighting back. From local interventions to massive, transnational operations, law enforcement agencies and specialized non-profits are working around the clock to dismantle trafficking networks and bring survivors to safety.

Here is an inside look at recent, life-saving operations worldwide, highlighting the critical work of OUR Rescue and their international law enforcement partners.

Who is OUR Rescue?

OUR Rescue (formerly Operation Underground Railroad) is a global non-profit organization dedicated to ending human trafficking and child exploitation. Their mission extends beyond the initial rescue; they are committed to empowering survivors to reclaim their lives and thrive on their healing journey.

Rather than acting independently, OUR Rescue operates by providing critical resources to local and national law enforcement agencies. Their support includes:

Operational Support: Supplying resources, intelligence, and logistical backing for sting operations.

Digital Forensics: Providing tools and training to examine mobile devices and digital footprints to track predators and uncover illicit networks.

Survivor Care: Deploying specialized teams to provide immediate post-rescue support, including food, clothing, stabilizing care, and trauma-informed recovery services.

Domestic Operations: Providing K9 units trained in Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) to local police departments across the United States to sniff out hidden illicit materials.

Operation Code Rescue: A 48-Hour Strike in Ecuador (August 2025)

In August 2025, OUR Rescue spearheaded Operation Code Rescue in direct collaboration with the Ecuadorian National Police (ENP) Anti-Trafficking Unit (UNAT) and Ecuador's Attorney General's Office (FGE). Over a tense 48-hour period, authorities successfully rescued four minors and apprehended four individuals suspected of sexual exploitation.

Day 1: August 20, 2025

Guayaquil: Authorities intervened to save a 14-year-old girl being coerced into a forced marriage. Investigators secured vital evidence and took two individuals into custody.

Quevedo: A 15-year-old girl, trafficked for sex across the Ecuador-Peru border, was rescued. A 25-year-old suspect was identified and arrested in this transnational case.

Day 2: August 21, 2025

Morning: Acting on an urgent tip from a parent, law enforcement secured a child from ongoing harm, arresting a 65-year-old man accused of exploiting minors and distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).

Afternoon: Following an alert about a 16-year-old girl in immediate danger, intervention teams located her within hours, arresting a 63-year-old suspect on charges of child exploitation and possible rape.

All four children were safely removed from their abusers and transitioned into post-rescue care to aid in their healing.

Recent Global Operations

The fight against exploitation is a daily, global effort. Here are a few notable recent operations supported by OUR Rescue:

The Romania Operation (March 2026)

On March 19, 2026, the Romanian Directorate for the Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism Crimes (DIICOT) dismantled a local trafficking ring. They successfully rescued a 13-year-old girl and arrested three individuals (ages 22, 33, and 36). OUR Rescue’s Europe team was on the ground to provide immediate stabilizing care and supplies for the young survivor.

Operation Global Impact (Late 2025)

Throughout the latter half of 2025, OUR Rescue supported a massive multi-continent initiative spanning Latin America, Asia, and Europe. This three-month surge resulted in an astounding 212 arrests, 140 adults rescued, and 69 children rescued.

Highlights from Operation Global Impact included:

Thailand (October 2025): Coordinated with Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation (DSI), arresting two suspects and rescuing five survivors (four teenage boys and one woman). OUR Rescue provided digital forensics and deployed their Survivor Care team.

Spain (Late 2025): A joint effort between the Spanish National Police, the Colombian National Police, and INTERPOL dismantled a ring luring women with false job offers for commercial sexual exploitation. The sting resulted in five arrests and the rescue of eight survivors.

Organizations Involved & Contact Information

Combating human trafficking requires a unified front. Below are the official groups involved in these operations and where you can find more information about their work:

OUR Rescue

Mission: Eradicating human trafficking and child exploitation through law enforcement support and survivor care.

Website: ourrescue.org

Ecuadorian National Police (Policía Nacional del Ecuador) - UNAT

Role: The primary law enforcement agency in Ecuador, housing the Anti-Trafficking Unit (UNAT) responsible for on-the-ground sting operations.

Website: policia.gob.ec

Ecuador Attorney General's Office (Fiscalía General del Estado - FGE)

Role: Ecuador's autonomous judicial organ responsible for prosecuting trafficking and exploitation cases.

Website: fiscalia.gob.ec

Romania DIICOT (Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism)

Role: Specialized Romanian public ministry structure tasked with preventing and combating serious forms of organized crime and human trafficking.

Website: diicot.ro

Thailand Department of Special Investigation (DSI)

Role: Specialized agency under the Thai Ministry of Justice handling complex national and transnational crime.

Website: dsi.go.th

Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional)

Role: Spain's national civilian police force, actively dismantling cross-border trafficking networks within Europe.

Website: policia.es

Colombian National Police (Policía Nacional de Colombia)

Role: Colombia's national police force, partnering internationally to stop traffickers operating across South American borders.

Website: policia.gov.co

INTERPOL

Role: The International Criminal Police Organization, facilitating worldwide police cooperation and crime control.

Website: interpol.int

If you suspect human trafficking or child exploitation in your area, do not attempt to intervene yourself. Contact your local law enforcement immediately or report it to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-THE-LOST or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

CyberTipline - NCMEC - Trinity Mount Ministries - REPORT CHILD ABUSE! REPORT CSAM! 1-800-843-5678

               

2024 marked 40 years of operation for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Over the past four decades, NCMEC has continuously confronted evolving threats against children and worked with law enforcement, legislators, industry, survivors and their families and others to create and implement solutions to keep children safe online.

 

NCMEC's CyberTipline was created in 1998 to receive reports of suspected child sexual exploitation from the public and electronic service providers (ESPs). Through this work, we support law enforcement efforts to stop child sexual exploitation and abuse and provide services to combat the harmful circulation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

 

This report includes data from reports made to the CyberTipline in 2024 and reflects the ever-changing nature of the threats against children and the landscape of online child protection.

CyberTipline Media Coverage Success StoriesDownload PDF

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                  Overview

NCMEC’s CyberTipline is the nation’s centralized reporting system for the online exploitation of children. The public and electronic service providers can make reports of suspected online enticement of children for sexual acts, child sexual molestation, child sexual abuse material, child sex tourism, child sex trafficking, unsolicited obscene materials sent to a child, misleading domain names, and misleading words or digital images on the internet.

Every child deserves a safe childhood.

What Happens to Information in a CyberTip?

NCMEC staff review each tip and work to find a potential location for the incident reported so that it may be made available to the appropriate law-enforcement agency for possible investigation. We also use the information from our CyberTipline reports to help shape our prevention and safety messages.

Is Your Image Out There?

Get Support

One of the worst things about having an explicit image online is feeling like you’re facing everything alone. But you have people who care for you and want to help. Reach out to them!

A trusted adult can offer advice, help you report, and help you deal with other issues. It could be your mom, dad, an aunt, a school counselor, or anyone you trust and are comfortable talking to. You can also “self report” by making a report on your own to the CyberTipline.

Families of exploited children often feel alone in their struggle and overwhelmed by the issues affecting their lives. NCMEC provides assistance and support to victims and families such as crisis intervention and local counseling referrals to appropriate professionals. Additionally, NCMEC’s Team HOPE is a volunteer program that connects families to others who have experienced the crisis of a sexually exploited child.

Don't Give Up

Having a sexually exploitative image of yourself exposed online is a scary experience. It can make you feel vulnerable and isolated, but remember, others have been in the same situation as you – and they’ve overcome it. Learn the steps you can take to limit the spread of the content.

By the Numbers

In 2023, reports made to the CyberTipline rose more than 12% from the previous year, surpassing 36.2 million reports.

There were 105,653,162 data files reported to the CyberTipline in 2023.

Reports of online enticement increased by more than 300% from 44,155 in 2021 to 186,819 in 2023. 

Find more data in the CyberTipline Report.

By the Numbers

In 2022:

Find more data in the CyberTipline Report.

More

Learn more about online exploitation and safety.

Coping with Child Sexual Abuse (CSAM) Exposure For Families

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Production and Active Trading of Child Sexual Exploitation Images Depicting Identified Victims

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Trends Identified in CyberTipline Sextortion Reports

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The Online Enticement of Children: An In-Depth Analysis of CyberTipline Reports

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How to Promote the CyberTipline on Your Website

Report It

If you think you have seen a missing child, or suspect a child may be sexually exploited, contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Report Child Sexual Exploitation

Use the CyberTipline to report child sexual exploitation.

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Parents push Congress to act on kids’ online safety after juries find Meta and YouTube liable for harm

Fresh off landmark jury decisions finding tech companies liable for harms on their platforms, some parents are making a renewed push for online safety legislation.

“I think parents are starting to wake up and see like, whoa, this is not a safe place for my child, and they want change,” Julianna Arnold, founder of the advocacy group Parents RISE!, told Fox News Digital in an interview.  

Arnold was among roughly 70 parents blaming tech platforms for harming or killing their children who traveled to the U.S. Capitol this week to advocate for online safety legislation that would better protect minors. The group held a vigil outside the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday afternoon with many parents holding pictures of their deceased children.

Arnold told Fox News Digital that she lost her 17-year-old daughter to fentanyl poisoning after a man approached her on Instagram and sold her what she thought was Percocet for her anxiety.

CHRISTIAN MUSIC STAR LAUREN DAIGLE BRINGS ONLINE CHILD SAFETY FIGHT TO CAPITOL HILL, BACKS STOP CSAM ACT

“Ever since then, I’ve been motivated to clean up these online spaces, because they’re no place for our children,” Arnold said. “And now we’re learning that even the way they’re designing these platforms is going to be harming our children, and they’re doing it intentionally.”

A Los Angeles jury in March found both Meta and Google’s YouTube negligent for knowingly addicting and harming a young woman. Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, was also ordered to pay a $345 million fine after a New Mexico jury found the company failed to protect against child sexual exploitation and misled consumers about the safety of its platform.

Meta and Google have vigorously pushed back on claims that their platforms are addictive and have vowed to appeal both rulings.

Arnold attended the Los Angeles trial and said the unprecedented verdicts finding that platforms can be held responsible for content on their platforms “changed everything” for the online safety movement. 

“Now, we’re not here to tell our story only,” Arnold said, referring to her visit to Capitol Hill. “We’re here to show the evidence that is out there that shows that these platforms are intentionally trying to addict our children, and that they are targeting our children because they want more eyeballs on their platform so they make more money.”

NEWSOM WEIGHS IN ON SOCIAL MEDIA AGE RESTRICTIONS, CITING EXPERIENCE AS A PARENT: ‘WE NEED HELP’

A spokesperson for Meta told Fox News Digital that the company continues to work to make its products safer.

“We are listening to families, working closely with experts and conducting research to understand how to make meaningful changes, like Teen Accounts,” the spokesperson said. “We’ll keep making progress to protect teens online.”

Efforts to pass online safety legislation have so far stalled in the Republican-controlled Congress.

Arnold said her message to lawmakers is less talk, more action.

“We don’t need to have another hearing with the big tech executives,” Arnold said. “We don’t need to have all these conversations and tell our stories again, because I feel like the evidence is out there now and that’s what we brought to them today.”

Arnold and other online safety advocates are urging Congress to pass the Senate version of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), which has a veto-proof majority with 74 cosponsors. The legislation includes a “duty of care” provision legally requiring tech companies to tailor their platforms to children’s safety and omits preemption language that would restrict states’ ability to regulate online safety.

KOSA has yet to advance out of the Senate Commerce Committee, chaired by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, or receive a chamber-wide vote.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have both endorsed the legislation.

“We’re urging that the Senate and Sen. Cruz mark it up, get it out of committee, and put it on the floor,” Arnold said.

“This is really a nonpartisan issue,” she added. “It’s the safety of our children, the most sacred things that we have.”

EUROPOL - Protecting the Vulnerable

 

By ​Brett Fletcher - Founder of Trinity Mount Ministries

Europol and Partners Safeguard Children: Recent Operations Mark Significant Progress in Tracking and Identification

​In recent weeks, Europol, working alongside international partners, has executed two critical operations dedicated to protecting children from exploitation and forced transfer. These distinct efforts underscore the unwavering commitment of law enforcement agencies globally to safeguard the most vulnerable members of society.

​Both operations utilized sophisticated intelligence gathering, cross-border cooperation, and specialized task forces to achieve tangible results. Here is an overview of these recent successes.

​Operation 1: Tracking Forcibly Transferred Ukrainian Children

​The Hague, The Netherlands – A major breakthrough was achieved in the ongoing effort to locate Ukrainian children forcibly transferred during the conflict. Europol, coordinating with investigators from 18 countries and several key partners, successfully tracked down 45 children.

​This intensive operation was centered around a coordinated Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) effort. Over 40 investigators convened at Europol's headquarters in The Hague, pooling expertise and digital tools to analyze vast datasets and online footprints.

​The operation utilized OSINT techniques to cross-reference data, analyze digital imagery, and follow leads. The findings are crucial for establishing the location and circumstances of these children, supporting broader international efforts to ensure their safety and potential reunion with their families.

​This collaborative success demonstrates how specialized digital intelligence, when shared and analyzed across borders, can address some of the most complex challenges arising from geopolitical conflict.

​Operation 2: Dismantling Child Sexual Exploitation Networks

​In a separate, but parallel commitment, Europol’s Victim Identification Taskforce completed a highly successful action targeting online child sexual exploitation. This operation generated over 200 leads, which have been forwarded to national authorities for immediate investigation.

​The specialized task force focused on analyzing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to identify and locate victims. Leveraging advanced forensic technology and victim identification protocols, investigators successfully identified 12 children who were previously unknown to authorities.

​Identifying these victims is the essential first step toward rescuing them from abusive situations and providing them with the support and protection they desperately need. The volume of leads generated by this action will fuel numerous national investigations, dismantling exploitation networks and preventing further harm.

​This operation reinforces that victim identification is a paramount priority for Europol, moving beyond detection to actively rescue children trapped in exploitation.

Visualizing the Effort:

(The image below captures the collaborative energy within Europol's The Hague headquarters, showing investigators from 18 nations coordinating the massive OSINT effort to track the transferred children.)

(Following the coordination phase shown above, this second image takes a closer look at the specialized analysis cell within Europol, where forensic investigators work tirelessly on victim identification, resulting in 200 leads to save children.)

A Unified Stance: Protecting the Future

​These two operations represent complementary facets of Europol’s core mission: ensuring a safer Europe for all, especially its children. Whether addressing the immediate crisis of forced transfer or the insidious threat of sexual exploitation, the power of international collaboration is clear.

​By pooling resources, expertise, and intelligence, law enforcement agencies worldwide send a definitive message: crimes against children will be pursued with relentless coordination and the best available tools.

​Europol remains dedicated to supporting its partners, developing specialized capabilities, and leading the fight to protect the children who need it most.

​Contact Information and Related Links

​For further information regarding these operations or the work of Europol and its partners, please consult the following resources:

​Agencies Involved:

• ​Europol (European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation)
• ​National law enforcement authorities from 18 participating countries (specific agencies are generally not disclosed for operational security)

​Press/Contact Information:

• ​Europol Corporate Communications:
  • ​Email: press@europol.europa.eu
  • ​Phone: +31 70 302 50 00

​Related Links and Resources:

• ​Europol Website: https://www.europol.europa.eu
• ​Europol: Child Sexual Exploitation Topic Page: https://www.europol.europa.eu/crime-areas-and-statistics/crime-areas/child-sexual-exploitation
• ​Europol press release (Operation 1): LINK 1
• ​Europol press release (Operation 2): LINK 2

​For information regarding specific national investigations, please contact the relevant national law enforcement agency.