SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio police, in partnership with the U.S. Marshals, have helped return more than 120 missing children to their families as part of a sweeping anti-human trafficking investigation dubbed Operation Lightning Bug .

The joint operation, which ran from July 28 through Aug. 15, focused on recovering at-risk juveniles — many of whom were chronic runaways or vulnerable to exploitation.

Detective Travis Hazelton with the San Antonio Police Department’s Special Victims Unit said San Antonio’s location makes it a key corridor for trafficking activity.

“We're a corridor where we are from the border up. We're on I-10 and I-35. We have direct access to Houston, Austin, Dallas – everything comes through San Antonio,” Hazelton said. “It's a hub.”

According to SAPD, social media

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