Southwest Florida Task Force Arrests Two in Human Trafficking Operation

State Attorney Amira Fox announces crackdown on child exploitation and trafficking

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

State Attorney Amira Fox announced that law enforcement in Southwest Florida arrested two people as part of a multi-week operation to combat human trafficking. The Southwest Florida Inter-Agency Child Exploitation and Persons Trafficking Task Force, known as INTERCEPT, conducted the operation and identified 22 child victims, seizing 67 electronic devices in the process.

Why it matters

Human trafficking, especially the exploitation of minors, is a serious and growing problem in many communities. This operation demonstrates law enforcement's commitment to working across jurisdictions to identify victims, arrest perpetrators, and disrupt trafficking networks.

The details

The arrests were made as part of Operation Cybertip Surge, a multi-agency effort spanning different jurisdictions in Southwest Florida. The State Attorney's office provides legal support and guidance for the INTERCEPT task force's operations and follow-up after arrests.

  • The operation took place over several weeks in February 2026.

The players

Amira Fox

The State Attorney who announced the arrests and provided details on the operation.

INTERCEPT

The Southwest Florida Inter-Agency Child Exploitation and Persons Trafficking Task Force that conducted the operation.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“As State Attorney, I swear in members of the task force to give them cross designation to work across county lines as these cases often involve multiple jurisdictions. The State Attorney's Office then provides the legal support and guidance needed for the operations and follow-up required after arrests. We thank Operation Light Shine for providing funding that makes INTERCEPT's work possible.”

— Amira Fox, State Attorney (fox4now.com)

What’s next

The INTERCEPT task force will continue its work to identify and rescue victims of human trafficking in the region, with the support of the State Attorney's office.

The takeaway

This operation demonstrates the importance of multi-agency collaboration and the use of specialized task forces to effectively combat the complex and often multi-jurisdictional problem of human trafficking, especially when it involves the exploitation of minors.