WINNIPEG -- The Winnipeg police said five missing youths were found during a three-day joint initiative aimed at protecting young people who are at-risk of sexual exploitation.
Between Sept. 20 and 22 officers, in partnership with outreach workers from a number of organizations, checked 57 locations known to be frequented by high-risk missing youth as part of Project Return.
The three-day blitz resulted in police taking five missing youth to safe locations, and giving out 67 harm reduction kits. Officers said during the initiative 12 men between the ages of 19 and 52 were arrested for obtaining sexual services for consideration, and 12 vehicles were seized for prostitution offences. Police also conducted one deter and identify sex-trade consumers stop.
Police said on at the start of the initiative, on Sept. 20, there were a total of 38 youths reported missing in the city.
In 2018, Winnipeg police received a total of 7,361 missing person reports.
