U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Manila special agents, the HSI Manila Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit (TCIU), and HSI Boston coordinated a real-time surveillance operation in the U.S. and the Philippines, which led to the arrests of two Philippine nationals and the rescue of nine trafficked minor victims, ranging in ages from one to 17 years of age. This operation was supported by the Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the International Justice Mission (IJM), a non-governmental organization. The nine children were taken into DSWD custody. HSI Manila shared this information with IJM and efforts to locate additional victimized children are ongoing.
In November 2018, HSI Boston provided information to the HSI Manila TCIU regarding an ongoing investigation into two Philippine nationals involved in child exploitation. HSI Boston provided information to the HSI Manila TCIU that one of the Philippine nationals offered online sex shows for monetary compensation depicting under-aged girls performing sexually-related activities. The investigation ultimately led to numerous joint international surveillance operations involving HSI Boston and the HSI Manila TCIU. This HSI- led investigation is being worked as a collaborative effort between HSI Manila, HSI Manila TCIU, HSI Boston, DSWD, and the IJM.
