Latest news with #CoasttoCoast
Business Upturn
4 days ago
- Business Upturn
Nationwide Coalition Unites in 'Operation Coast to Coast' to Combat Human Trafficking
By GlobeNewswire Published on May 30, 2025, 21:54 IST Des Moines, Iowa, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Operation 'Coast to Coast', a coalition of over 150 law enforcement agencies and organizations including the Human Trafficking Training Center , Safe House Project , Our Rescue , the Rotary Action Group Against Slavery , Street Grace , Flock Safety , Delta Air Lines , and Code Four , is proud to announce a multi-state trafficking operation that recovered 70 individuals being trafficked, thus far. The 24-hour operation occurred across 19 states on May 29th and also resulted in 46 human trafficking suspects being arrested. More data on the operation is expected to be released over the upcoming days. Operation Coast to Coast began in 2024 as an initiative of the Human Trafficking Training Center and other organizations to spur a nationwide response to trafficking. 'Conducting proactive human trafficking operations can be positive and help identify victims and arrest traffickers. This group of states and agencies from across America have come together during Operation Coast to Coast, obtained proper training and participated in this nationwide operation to help victims, arrest traffickers and make their communities safer,' said Dan Nash, founder of the Human Trafficking Training Center and a former human trafficking investigator. 'As more and more agencies obtain proper training, this number will grow and make trafficking inhospitable in America.' This year, the focus of Operation Coast to Coast was Illegal Massage Businesses (IMBs) , a subset of the human trafficking industry that use the cover of a legitimate business to conduct trafficking, often tied to transnational crime. There are an estimated 7,500-9,000 IMBs in the U.S., creating a network that Street Grace estimates is the country's second-largest pipeline for human trafficking. During the Operation, law enforcement identified and entered at least 26 IMBs in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, New Mexico, Arizona, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, New York, Nebraska and Vermont. The Operation also resulted in the recovery of at least $700,000 in the following days, the organizations involved in Operation Coast to Coast will provide the recovered victims with much-needed services, including food, lodging, medical services, drug rehabilitation, counseling/therapy and childcare. 'The critical window immediately following a trafficking victim's escape determines their future — without immediate access to safe, trauma-informed care, 80% of survivors face re-exploitation,' said Kristi Wells, CEO and Co-Founder of Safe House Project. 'Safe House Project is honored to partner with law enforcement in Operation Coast to Coast, offering immediate support and safe home placement for every individual identified during these operations. When law enforcement intervention is coupled with comprehensive trauma-informed support, we create a pathway to genuine freedom. This collaborative approach ensures that survivors receive the hope, healing, and future they deserve, while holding traffickers and buyers accountable for their crimes.' Several of the law enforcement agencies involved in the Operation used the TraffickStop public safety data platform, a joint initiative of Code Four and Flock Safety. TraffickStop, which utilizes Flock Safety's Nova platform , allows investigators to aggregate, visualize, and analyze data on suspected human trafficking groups and suspects, accelerating complex cases. 'Flock Safety's mission is centered around helping communities become safer together, and Operation Coast to Coast embodies the spirit of this work,' said Garrett Langley, Co-Founder and CEO of Flock Safety. 'Earlier this year we crossed the milestone of helping recover over 1,000 missing persons around the country, and we are incredibly proud that our technology played a role in Operation Coast to Coast to help investigate some of the most heinous trafficking cases. We look forward to seeing our technology continue to play a role in critical public safety operations like this.' 'TraffickStop, in collaboration with Flock Safety, is proud to provide investigators with the actionable intelligence they need to strengthen cases and hold traffickers accountable,' said Andrew Romero, Founder of Code Four Development. 'As a retired organized crime detective, I've seen how real-time intelligence accelerates enforcement actions to dismantle criminal networks. We remain committed to equipping those on the front lines with the insights to move swiftly — and compassionately — against this crime.'Human trafficking continues to be an issue across America. If you suspect human trafficking in your area, please call 911 or your state human trafficking hotline.'We've seen that when victims escape human trafficking situations — also known as modern slavery — it is absolutely critical that they receive care right away,' said Dave McCleary, Global Chair of the Rotary Action Group Against Slavery (Rotary International). 'This group of stakeholders from the public and private sector has come together to ensure that wherever these victims are, we are able to help them begin the healing journey toward a new life.''Human trafficking is a problem that cannot be solved alone. Our Rescue is honored to stand shoulder to shoulder with law enforcement, nonprofits, and private industry — because only together can we end human trafficking,' said Nate Davis, VP of Mission, North America, Our Rescue. For more information on Operation 'Coast to Coast' please contact Dan Nash: [email protected]. For more information on the TraffickStop platform, please contact Andrew Romero: [email protected]. Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. GlobeNewswire provides press release distribution services globally, with substantial operations in North America and Europe.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Nationwide Coalition Unites in 'Operation Coast to Coast' to Combat Human Trafficking
Joint effort by law enforcement, non-profits, and corporations leads to recovery of 70 victims and 46 arrests across 19 states, with a focus on illegal massage businesses. Des Moines, Iowa, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Operation 'Coast to Coast', a coalition of over 150 law enforcement agencies and organizations including the Human Trafficking Training Center, Safe House Project, Our Rescue, the Rotary Action Group Against Slavery, Street Grace, Flock Safety, Delta Air Lines, and Code Four, is proud to announce a multi-state trafficking operation that recovered 70 individuals being trafficked, thus far. The 24-hour operation occurred across 19 states on May 29th and also resulted in 46 human trafficking suspects being arrested. More data on the operation is expected to be released over the upcoming days. Operation Coast to Coast began in 2024 as an initiative of the Human Trafficking Training Center and other organizations to spur a nationwide response to trafficking. 'Conducting proactive human trafficking operations can be positive and help identify victims and arrest traffickers. This group of states and agencies from across America have come together during Operation Coast to Coast, obtained proper training and participated in this nationwide operation to help victims, arrest traffickers and make their communities safer,' said Dan Nash, founder of the Human Trafficking Training Center and a former human trafficking investigator. 'As more and more agencies obtain proper training, this number will grow and make trafficking inhospitable in America.' This year, the focus of Operation Coast to Coast was Illegal Massage Businesses (IMBs), a subset of the human trafficking industry that use the cover of a legitimate business to conduct trafficking, often tied to transnational crime. There are an estimated 7,500-9,000 IMBs in the U.S., creating a network that Street Grace estimates is the country's second-largest pipeline for human the Operation, law enforcement identified and entered at least 26 IMBs in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, New Mexico, Arizona, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, New York, Nebraska and Vermont. The Operation also resulted in the recovery of at least $700,000 in the following days, the organizations involved in Operation Coast to Coast will provide the recovered victims with much-needed services, including food, lodging, medical services, drug rehabilitation, counseling/therapy and childcare. "The critical window immediately following a trafficking victim's escape determines their future — without immediate access to safe, trauma-informed care, 80% of survivors face re-exploitation," said Kristi Wells, CEO and Co-Founder of Safe House Project. "Safe House Project is honored to partner with law enforcement in Operation Coast to Coast, offering immediate support and safe home placement for every individual identified during these operations. When law enforcement intervention is coupled with comprehensive trauma-informed support, we create a pathway to genuine freedom. This collaborative approach ensures that survivors receive the hope, healing, and future they deserve, while holding traffickers and buyers accountable for their crimes."Several of the law enforcement agencies involved in the Operation used the TraffickStop public safety data platform, a joint initiative of Code Four and Flock Safety. TraffickStop, which utilizes Flock Safety's Nova platform, allows investigators to aggregate, visualize, and analyze data on suspected human trafficking groups and suspects, accelerating complex cases.'Flock Safety's mission is centered around helping communities become safer together, and Operation Coast to Coast embodies the spirit of this work,' said Garrett Langley, Co-Founder and CEO of Flock Safety. 'Earlier this year we crossed the milestone of helping recover over 1,000 missing persons around the country, and we are incredibly proud that our technology played a role in Operation Coast to Coast to help investigate some of the most heinous trafficking cases. We look forward to seeing our technology continue to play a role in critical public safety operations like this.' 'TraffickStop, in collaboration with Flock Safety, is proud to provide investigators with the actionable intelligence they need to strengthen cases and hold traffickers accountable,' said Andrew Romero, Founder of Code Four Development. 'As a retired organized crime detective, I've seen how real-time intelligence accelerates enforcement actions to dismantle criminal networks. We remain committed to equipping those on the front lines with the insights to move swiftly — and compassionately — against this crime.'Human trafficking continues to be an issue across America. If you suspect human trafficking in your area, please call 911 or your state human trafficking hotline.'We've seen that when victims escape human trafficking situations — also known as modern slavery — it is absolutely critical that they receive care right away,' said Dave McCleary, Global Chair of the Rotary Action Group Against Slavery (Rotary International). 'This group of stakeholders from the public and private sector has come together to ensure that wherever these victims are, we are able to help them begin the healing journey toward a new life.'"Human trafficking is a problem that cannot be solved alone. Our Rescue is honored to stand shoulder to shoulder with law enforcement, nonprofits, and private industry — because only together can we end human trafficking,' said Nate Davis, VP of Mission, North America, Our more information on Operation 'Coast to Coast' please contact Dan Nash: dan@ For more information on the TraffickStop platform, please contact Andrew Romero: andrew@ CONTACT: Holly Beilin Flock Safety +1 (404) 476-6599 holly@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Otago Daily Times
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
McLachlan unable to resist challenge
Seasoned adventure racer Bob McLachlan is preparing for an epic challenge. He tells reporter Adrian Seconi why paddling 1000 miles down the Yukon River beats a family holiday. Bob McLachlan is not like most of us. He is made of different materials. He's probably a combination of spider silk and limpet teeth. But he has his kryptonite. The 54-year-old adventure racer cannot resist a challenge. That is how he agreed to paddle 1000 miles (1609km) down the Yukon River from Canada to Alaska. McLachlan looks at the world through a different lens. He sees opportunity where others see mostly pain and suffering. In July, he will join Gordon Townsend, and the pair will compete in the Yukon 1000. It is the world's longest canoe race at 1000 miles, the same distance The Proclaimers were happy to walk "to fall down at your door''. And another fun fact - "more people have been up Everest than have been beyond Dawson City," the website proudly claims. The slogan for the race is "Push Past Impossible" and "an epic, high-risk adventure" is promised. That is a lot of red flags but it is catnip for adventure junkies like McLachlan . He is supposedly retired from serious racing. But Townsend called and, well ... "I don't know what it is about me. I called a friend about it when Gordie asked me to do it, and I was like, 'Oh, no, I can't do that'. "But then it was the intrigue - why would I do a race like that when I could actually go on a nice holiday somewhere, and I was like, I could actually do a race like that. "So I don't know what it is inside, but I was quite driven to go and give it a crack, and it's a really good challenge. "And for me, it's that peace and quiet of being away from everything." They will certainly be away from everything. It is absolute wilderness. "All you're thinking about is your race for that whole week. There's nothing else. There's no phone coverage. You can't even get satellite coverage there." Even for McLachlan , it is at the limits of what is achievable. He first tackled the Coast to Coast as a teenager, so he has been involved in multisport and adventure racing for nearly 40 years. His career has featured some stunning highs. He placed second in the longest day at the Coast to Coast in 2016. "Big Water Bob" killed the kayak leg to move from seventh to second. It was a stunning effort and, the following year, he reached a new high at the Cowboy Tough World Adventure Racing Championships in Wyoming. He was part of a powerful New Zealand team that dominated the 725km race through the Grand Teton National Park from Jackson Hole to Casper. They raced for just under 80 hours on three and a-half hours of sleep. He will not get much sleep on the Yukon either. He will be paddling for 18 hours a day for five or six days in a row. They have a mandatory six-hour stop every day. In that time they have to set up camp, feed themselves and get what sleep they can. It is also fairly important not to be eaten by a mother bear. "Just sitting in a boat for that many hours a day is going to be, you know, right up at the top of those challenges. "And also just because of the remoteness. There's obviously a lot of wild animals, like bears and moose and things out there, and they all have their young at that time of year. "Then there's the risk of the elements - wind, smoke, you know, from the wildfires." Just getting to start is quite an achievement. There are about 6000 entrants each time and they only accept 30 two-person teams. "You have to send in a bit of a resume on what you've done in the past. ''And it's not just about kayaking. "A lot of it's just about survival skills in the back country because help's a long way from anywhere." New Zealand has a proud record in the race. New Zealanders Nathan Fa'avae and Sophie Hart won the race last year and the New Zealand crew of Ian Huntsman and Wendy Riach edged fellow Kiwis Simon Woods and Neil Taylor in 2018. Huntsman and Riach won the 2014 race as well. "It is a huge adventure. "We'd love to win and we're definitely going to go for it and hope to do as well as we can. But paddling the entire 18 hours of the day without getting out of your boat each day is our goal. "And then just to be really efficient in and around the campsite. You only stop for six hours a day, and you want as much sleep in that six hours as you can. "There's quite a lot to do in that time as well as getting sleep, and it's 24-7 daylight. "So, yeah, there's a whole lot of elements to it that make it challenging, and weather as well." They will have to make one other brief stop. "Once you leave the start line, there's nothing for 1000 miles, really. "But you do have to stop and make a phone call when you cross the Canada-US border into Alaska. "You've got to get out, make a phone call, tell them who's crossing the border. "There's no-one there, just a phone box, and then you're in Alaska, and you paddle up to just above the Arctic Circle." You cannot really prepare adequately for an epic adventure on the scale of kayaking the Yukon. But the pair took on Clutha River recently and got in some hard paddling. They got to try different paddles and they experimented with food. "You can't afford any dead legs or sore bums, and that's something we can't really test because we have to rent a boat for this race, so we'll have to adjust seats and make it sort of fit us when we get there." "There's an element of just staying within a zone of your effort that you can sustain because, if we went at a pace that you would paddle the Coast to Coast race at, you'd only last about a day and then you'd be burnt out. "So you actually have to taper it back a little bit. "Your training can be at a higher intensity to develop strength and develop really good technique, and then you take that into a race at a lower intensity, and that's probably our key is not going out too fast and just being very consistent throughout that race. "You can't train for 18 hours a day because you'd be exhausted if you did. So you've just got to train so that you can do 18 hours a day." Navigating is another major challenge. It is a huge river and picking the best route is crucial. "It's not a white water river by any means, but people fall out. But probably the biggest thing for us is just being able to read the water because the river can get up to 6-7km wide in places. "Being able to read the maps really accurately is a really important part of the race as well." Try doing that on four or five hours of sleep. It would probably be harder than combining spider silk and limpert teeth, two of the strongest natural substances known. AI says it "is an intriguing idea, but it presents significant scientific and engineering challenges''. Let's get McLachlan on it when he gets back from the Yukon.
Otago Daily Times
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
McLaughlan unable to resist challenge
Seasoned adventure racer Bob McLaughlan is preparing for an epic challenge. He tells reporter Adrian Seconi why paddling 1000 miles down the Yukon River beats a family holiday. Bob McLaughlan is not like most of us. He is made of different materials. He's probably a combination of spider silk and limpet teeth. But he has his kryptonite. The 54-year-old adventure racer cannot resist a challenge. That is how he agreed to paddle 1000 miles (1609km) down the Yukon River from Canada to Alaska. McLaughlan looks at the world through a different lens. He sees opportunity where others see mostly pain and suffering. In July, he will join Gordon Townsend, and the pair will compete in the Yukon 1000. It is the world's longest canoe race at 1000 miles, the same distance The Proclaimers were happy to walk "to fall down at your door''. And another fun fact — "more people have been up Everest than have been beyond Dawson City," the website proudly claims. The slogan for the race is "Push Past Impossible" and "an epic, high-risk adventure" is promised. That is a lot of red flags but it is catnip for adventure junkies like McLaughlan. He is supposedly retired from serious racing. But Townsend called and, well ... "I don't know what it is about me. I called a friend about it when Gordie asked me to do it, and I was like, 'Oh, no, I can't do that'. "But then it was the intrigue — why would I do a race like that when I could actually go on a nice holiday somewhere, and I was like, I could actually do a race like that. "So I don't know what it is inside, but I was quite driven to go and give it a crack, and it's a really good challenge. "And for me, it's that peace and quiet of being away from everything." They will certainly be away from everything. It is absolute wilderness. "All you're thinking about is your race for that whole week. There's nothing else. There's no phone coverage. You can't even get satellite coverage there." Even for McLaughlan, it is at the limits of what is achievable. He first tackled the Coast to Coast as a teenager, so he has been involved in multisport and adventure racing for nearly 40 years. His career has featured some stunning highs. He placed second in the longest day at the Coast to Coast in 2016. "Big Water Bob" killed the kayak leg to move from seventh to second. It was a stunning effort and, the following year, he reached a new high at the Cowboy Tough World Adventure Racing Championships in Wyoming. He was part of a powerful New Zealand team that dominated the 725km race through the Grand Teton National Park from Jackson Hole to Casper. They raced for just under 80 hours on three and a-half hours of sleep. He will not get much sleep on the Yukon either. He will be paddling for 18 hours a day for five or six days in a row. They have a mandatory six-hour stop every day. In that time they have to set up camp, feed themselves and get what sleep they can. It is also fairly important not to be eaten by a mother bear. "Just sitting in a boat for that many hours a day is going to be, you know, right up at the top of those challenges. "And also just because of the remoteness. There's obviously a lot of wild animals, like bears and moose and things out there, and they all have their young at that time of year. "Then there's the risk of the elements — wind, smoke, you know, from the wildfires." Just getting to start is quite an achievement. There are about 6000 entrants each time and they only accept 30 two-person teams. "You have to send in a bit of a resume on what you've done in the past. ''And it's not just about kayaking. "A lot of it's just about survival skills in the back country because help's a long way from anywhere." New Zealand has a proud record in the race. New Zealanders Nathan Fa'avae and Sophie Hart won the race last year and the New Zealand crew of Ian Huntsman and Wendy Riach edged fellow Kiwis Simon Woods and Neil Taylor in 2018. Huntsman and Riach won the 2014 race as well. "It is a huge adventure. "We'd love to win and we're definitely going to go for it and hope to do as well as we can. But paddling the entire 18 hours of the day without getting out of your boat each day is our goal. "And then just to be really efficient in and around the campsite. You only stop for six hours a day, and you want as much sleep in that six hours as you can. "There's quite a lot to do in that time as well as getting sleep, and it's 24-7 daylight. "So, yeah, there's a whole lot of elements to it that make it challenging, and weather as well." They will have to make one other brief stop. "Once you leave the start line, there's nothing for 1000 miles, really. "But you do have to stop and make a phone call when you cross the Canada-US border into Alaska. "You've got to get out, make a phone call, tell them who's crossing the border. "There's no-one there, just a phone box, and then you're in Alaska, and you paddle up to just above the Arctic Circle." You cannot really prepare adequately for an epic adventure on the scale of kayaking the Yukon. But the pair took on Clutha River recently and got in some hard paddling. They got to try different paddles and they experimented with food. "You can't afford any dead legs or sore bums, and that's something we can't really test because we have to rent a boat for this race, so we'll have to adjust seats and make it sort of fit us when we get there." "There's an element of just staying within a zone of your effort that you can sustain because, if we went at a pace that you would paddle the Coast to Coast race at, you'd only last about a day and then you'd be burnt out. "So you actually have to taper it back a little bit. "Your training can be at a higher intensity to develop strength and develop really good technique, and then you take that into a race at a lower intensity, and that's probably our key is not going out too fast and just being very consistent throughout that race. "You can't train for 18 hours a day because you'd be exhausted if you did. So you've just got to train so that you can do 18 hours a day." Navigating is another major challenge. It is a huge river and picking the best route is crucial. "It's not a white water river by any means, but people fall out. But probably the biggest thing for us is just being able to read the water because the river can get up to 6-7km wide in places. "Being able to read the maps really accurately is a really important part of the race as well." Try doing that on four or five hours of sleep. It would probably be harder than combining spider silk and limpert teeth, two of the strongest natural substances known. AI says it "is an intriguing idea, but it presents significant scientific and engineering challenges''. Let's get McLaughlan on it when he gets back from the Yukon.
Otago Daily Times
15-05-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Chch teenager gives back after chopper rescue
After being saved by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, teenager Riley Abbott raised $3500 for the service. Crews will be shaking buckets around the country today for the annual Chopper Street Appeal Day. Photo: Supplied A Christchurch high school student has defied the odds after a devastating crash - and now he's giving back to the air rescue crew who saved him. Sports-loving teenager Riley Abbott's life changed in an instant in July 2023. The St Bede's College boarder and rugby enthusiast from Hawarden misjudged a jump while riding his dirt bike, leaving him with a shattered femur and dislocated hip. In cold conditions and fading light, Westpac Rescue Helicopter paramedics stabilised Riley on-site and flew him to Christchurch Hospital using night vision technology that made the urgent flight possible. Riley underwent surgery and faced months of rehab, leaving his future in sport uncertain. A year later, Riley, now 17, learned he would need a full hip replacement due to severe joint damage. With resilience and determination, Riley joined his parents in the Coast to Coast. He cycled all 140km of the bike stages, raising $3500 for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter service. Today members of the public will have the opportunity to support Westpac rescue chopper teams too. The organisation will be shaking buckets around the country to raise money for its annual Chopper Street Appeal Day. Canterbury's Westpac Rescue helicopters flew 765 missions across the region last year, up 15% on 2023. Of the call-outs, 42% were to attend accidents such as Riley's, 23% for medical conditions and 8% search and rescue missions. Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust chief executive Christine Prince said the public's generosity is essential to keeping its choppers and specialised crews operating. Prince said the trust has set a target of $1.4 million, with $600,000 still needed before the end of this year to help support the purchase of three H145 rescue helicopters from Switzerland. 'We are raising the bar to meet the growing needs of our communities. 'Our mission is to increase the response capability of the rescue helicopters by 20%, deliver new technologies, medical equipment, and training so we can help save more lives.' • To make a donation or find out more, visit
