BLAINE, Minn. (FOX 9) - Blaine police arrested 22 people for soliciting minors for sex in Blaine at the beginning of September.
22 arrested in Blaine
What we know:
According to Blaine police, in a two-day operation, police focused on finding and arresting people who were attempting to pay minors for sex.
Officers posed as underage girls and communicated by text message with more than 460 people, police said.
Ultimately, 22 people traveled to a meeting location set up by the authorities with the intention of paying for sex from the underage girls.
Police say all 22 people were arrested and charged with solicitation of a child to engage in sexual conduct. Then they were released with a future court date.
Multiple agencies assisted Blaine police, including the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) and the United States Secret Service.
What they're saying:
"This operation demonstrates our unwavering commitment to protecting children from exploitation," said Blaine Deputy Chief Joe Gerhard, "We are grateful for the collaboration of our partner agencies, whose teamwork was essential to the success of this effort."
What we don't know:
Police did not immediately identify the people arrested.
The Source: A press release from the Blaine Police Department.