The U.S. Marshals carried out an operation in June that resulted in the discovery of dozens of “critically missing” children across three Tampa Bay-area counties in Florida, officials announced Monday.
The U.S. Marshals Service Middle District of Florida launched Operation Dragon Eye in a bid to “recover or safely locate the most critically missing youth” in the state, according to a statement from the office.
The operation, which included other law enforcement agencies, resulted in the safe location or recovery of 60 children across Florida’s Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties, the agency said.
“This operation had three primary objectives: recover critically missing youth, provide them with essential services including appropriate placement, and to deter bad actors exploiting missing child vulnerabilities,” the U.S. Marshals Service added….