HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — As another major event heads to Tampa Bay, Hillsborough County officials say that they are ramping up efforts to combat human trafficking.
"Large events such as these have many benefits, but the influx of visitors can also create conditions conducive to human trafficking - the business of buying and selling human beings through force, fraud, or coercion," the county wrote in a press release.
Hillsborough County Code Enforcement has been inspecting adult entertainment businesses to ensure they are in compliance with county ordinances and will continue doing so throughout the week.
In 2020, the board of county commissioners approved an $83,000 contract with the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay to provide comprehensive resources, referrals, and direct services to those who have experienced human trafficking.
Anyone, regardless of an area event occurring, that suspects they are potentially witnessing a human trafficking incident can report it by texting CTYTIP to TIP411 (847411), or by dialing 211 for immediate help.
The Tampa Bay Human Trafficking Task Force also has a mobile app that allows you to communicate anonymously in real-time with investigators. To download it you'll need to head to iTunes or Google Play.
Additional resources can be found at the Commission on Human Trafficking website, dontbuyittampabay.org.
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