Manitoba

At-risk teens found during Winnipeg sex trade sweep

Winnipeg police and outreach workers hit the streets Thursday night, looking for young people working in the sex trade and those exploiting them.

In all, 46 addresses were checked and one person ticketed after trying to pick up a sex trade worker

Project Return is a joint project that aims to protect young people at high risk of being sexually exploited in Winnipeg. (CBC)

Winnipeg police and outreach workers hit the streets Thursday night, looking for young people working in the sex trade and those exploiting them.

Five at-risk youth, all between the ages of 14 and 15, were located and taken to places of safety. Two of them, however, were arrested and processed on outstanding warrants, police said.

In all, 46 addresses were checked for missing youth and one person was issued a traffic ticket for allegedly attempting to pick up a sex trade worker.

It was the latest sweep in Project Return, a joint project that aims to protect young people at high risk of being sexually exploited.

Project Return involves the Winnipeg Police Service's counter exploitation unit, counter exploitation team, sex crimes unit and the missing persons unit, in partnership with outreach workers from StreetReach Winnipeg.