Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and U.S. Marshal William Berger announced Monday that 60 missing children were found during a large law enforcement operation called Operation Dragon Eye.

The operation took place in the Tampa Bay area and led to eight arrests, including one person charged with human trafficking.

“These law enforcement officers are the real heroes,” Uthmeier said. “As a father, and as your Attorney General, I want every child in Florida to be safe. If you hurt children, you’re going to prison. End of story.”

The children, aged 9 to 17, were given medical help and counseling. U.S. Marshal Berger said teams worked hard to make sure the children don’t return to unsafe situations.

“This shows Florida will never be safe for traffickers,” said FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass. “We will never stop looking for missing children.”

The Florida Department of Children and Families also helped with the recovery effort. DCF Secretary Taylor Hatch said teams helped with housing and emotional care.

The case is being led by the Office of Statewide Prosecution, working with the Sixth and Thirteenth Judicial Circuits. Special Counsel Rita Peters will handle the main trafficking case. Two more cases are still under investigation.

The eight suspects face charges such as human trafficking, child endangerment, and drug crimes.

Operation Dragon Eye was led by the U.S. Marshals and included help from 20 law enforcement agencies.

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