Somali Gangs Busted for Trafficking

Twenty-nine people have been indicted for an alleged sex-trafficking ring in which Somali gangs forced girls under age 14 into prostitution in Minnesota, Tennessee, and Ohio. The indictment, unsealed Monday, claims that three Somali gangs in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area—the Somali Outlaws, the Somali Mafia, and the Lady Outlaws—forced several young Somali or African-American girls into prostitution so the defendants could get money, marijuana, or liquor. The indictment says the sex-trafficking ring operated for 10 years, and some of the victims were younger than 14 when they were forced to cross state lines and perform sex acts. The sting is part of a nationwide, three-day sweep that has brought 884 arrests, including 99 pimps alone.