CRIME, POLICE + COURTS

Child trafficking is a multi-billion dollar industry

Jun 5, 2018, 12:59 PM | Updated: 7:07 pm

SALT LAKE CITY — Human trafficking brings in $150,000,000,000 every year, and continues to grow.  And according to the founder and CEO of Operation Underground Railroad, Tim Ballard, the United States is the largest consumer.

Ballard says children are kidnapped for organ harvesting and forced into slave labor.   But he uses his organization to travel the world and free children from the sex slave industry.

A production company approached Ballard, who was previously an agent with the Department of Homeland Security wanting to tell the story of O.U.R.  The result is the documentary “Operation Toussaint” which follows O.U.R during a dangerous mission in Haiti to break a sex trade ring operation and rescue 29 girls, some as young as 10-years of age.  It opens in Utah theaters June 18th, 2018.

The rescue operation planning began in Utah with the help of Attorney General Sean Reyes, who also participated in the secret trips to Haiti and Columbia.

Now Hollywood has come knocking at the Ballard’s door wanting to do a story on his transition from Department of Homeland agent to crusader with Operation Underground Railroad.  Ballard turned down multiple offers large studios but said “yes” to the company who produced the film “Little Boy.”  He said he trusted this team to keep the spirit of O.U.R and his character intact.

Actor Jim Caviezel, best known for “The Passion of the Christ” and “The Count of Monte Cristo,” is slated to portray Ballard in the film currently titled “Sound of Freedom.”  Filming begins in Columbia on June 16th.

You can see my entire interview with both Tim Ballard and Jim Caviezel and portions of the “Operation Toussaint” documentary on my podcast Money Making Sense.

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Child trafficking is a multi-billion dollar industry