While many Americans enjoyed the Super Bowl in their homes and in the stands this year, one man spent the day helping to break up a sex-trade ring in Haiti — that freed 29 young women and children.
Tim Ballard, former CIA-analyist, has a new calling in his life. He works with a nonprofit called Operation Underground Railroad, consisting of former members of the US military, who have knowledge of child-trafficking and sex slavery from having spent time in countries where the practices are common.
According the New York Post, the Super Bowl day operation was called Sainte Jou — Creole for “Blessed Day” — and resulted in the arrest of nine suspected traffickers by local authorities in Haiti, who worked in tandem with the U.S.-based organization.
The underground group targets areas known for sex trafficking and designs sting operations. In this instance, the location was the Kaliko Beach Club, a high-end resort in a geographical area which is shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
The team of 25 men flew in to the resort to “play the role of middlemen for wealthy American pedophiles.” Their goal was to work with the pimps to find local girls — some as young as 13 — who believed they were selling the girls’ services for an orgy.
An impressing-looking yacht moored off-shore was made to look like a luxury party boat. The undercover operatives were reportedly dressed for the part with many wearing flip-flops and shorts. The average price was set to be $300 for each girl for a sex party of four to six hours.
According to the U.S. State Department, it has only been since 2014 that Haiti criminalized sex trafficking.
The 29 young females rescued this raid are reportedly safe.
Photo: Associated Press