Federal agents conduct "large operation" in Los Angeles amid human trafficking crackdown, prosecutors say

Federal agents performed a large-scale raid along Los Angeles' Figueroa corridor on Wednesday morning, according to prosecutors, resulting in nine people being taken into custody.

In a post to X, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said girls as young as 14 were being sold for sex during the alleged human trafficking operations.

"The victims in the case have faced extraordinary and horrific violence as part of this operation," Essayli said during a news conference on Wednesday. He said one victim had to get surgery after getting part of their cheek bit off, and another was raped on the same day she received an abortion.

The raids were part of Operation Broken Blade, a federal crackdown on activity along the Figueroa corridor. The Los Angeles Police Department assisted with the operation.

"By working hand in hand with our federal partners, we are doing far more than making arrests," said Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell. "We are dismantling the criminal enterprises that profit from human trafficking, rescuing victims, and reclaiming the Figueroa Corridor for the community that has always deserved better."

CBS LA crews captured video of a man, later identified as Mukeshkumar Rambhai Ahir, being taken into custody outside a motel in South Los Angeles.

Law enforcement officials told CBS LA that Ahir was a manager of the Stadium Inn and Spas. He was identified as an alleged member of the Hoover Criminal Gang. 

Essayli said he admitted that as much as 90% of the rooms of the motel were used for prostitution, resulting in a financial gain of nearly $65,000.

Last year, federal prosecutors arrested 11 alleged members of the Hoover gang, charging them with conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, among other sex trafficking related crimes.

A total of 25 people have been charged in connection with Operation Broken Blade, Essayli said. At least 51 victims have been identified, with five being identified on Wednesday morning alone.