AG announces human trafficking, fentanyl, and sex offender operation

Published 3:41 pm Thursday, July 31, 2025

Attorney General Lynn Fitch announced Thursday the completion of Operation Guardian Force, a two-week statewide law enforcement effort led by the Attorney General’s Office Human Trafficking Task Force, Fentanyl Strike Force, and Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The operation resulted in 72 arrests, and the recovery of 29 human trafficking victims.

“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. 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,” said Fitch. “And I am grateful to President Trump for making efforts to eradicate human trafficking and fentanyl top priorities. 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.”

Attorney General Fitch was joined by Acting Assistant Secretary Andrew Gradison with the Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services who observed the work of the investigative operations. AG Fitch and the Trump Administration are partners to support efforts to end human trafficking and deliver comprehensive victim services.

“The Trump Administration will partner with anyone who will join us in the fight against human trafficking,” said Gradison. “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.”

Operation Guardian Force ran July 14-19 and worked in partnership with 400 federal, state and local law enforcement officers to coordinate search warrants, arrests and victim services. The operation also included a sex offender compliance check to locate and identify sex offender registry absconders.

In addition to law enforcement partners, the Gulf Coast Center for Nonviolence, Center for Violence Prevention and Transformation Garden provided services and treatment to the victims who were recovered during this operation.