Nearly 50 children recovered during anti-human trafficking operation in Greater Boston during the World Cup, officials say

Officials announced on Monday the recovery of 48 missing and endangered children from Massachusetts as part of a multi-agency operation targeting human trafficking during the World Cup.

The children were between 12 and 17 years old, with several located outside the state. They have since been reunited with their families or connected to appropriate child welfare and victim services, the U.S. Marshals Service District of Massachusetts said in a press release. 

“There is no greater measure of success than knowing that 48 children who were once missing are now safe because dedicated law enforcement professionals refused to stop searching for them,” Acting U.S. Marshal Dennis Matulewicz said. 

The children were recovered through an initiative named “Operation Yellow Card,” a collaborative effort that also involved the Massachusetts State Police and Boston Police Department. 

Launched during the World Cup — the largest international event ever hosted in Massachusetts — the operation aimed to “identify, locate, and safely recover endangered missing children” vulnerable to violence, commercial sexual exploitation, human trafficking, and other forms of victimization, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. 

The initiative also sparked further investigations into related criminal offenses, including child exploitation, kidnapping, and human trafficking, the U.S. Marshall Service said. 

“We want this collaborative operation to send a clear message. If you commit these horrific and targeted crimes, we will work tirelessly to hold you accountable,” BPD Commissioner Michael Cox said. “This investigation resulted in these young survivors returning to their loved ones. We are grateful and proud to work with our state and federal partners to ensure these survivors are not forgotten.” 

Officials said anyone with information regarding missing or exploited children can contact local law enforcement or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678.