WASHINGTON — FBI Director Kash Patel announced a significant victory in the fight against child trafficking and exploitation, confirming that law enforcement has located more than 6,000 missing children and arrested nearly 2,000 predators as part of ongoing nationwide operations.

In a recent update, Patel highlighted the FBI’s intensified efforts under the current administration, describing it as a “historic year” in protecting America’s children. The recoveries represent a substantial increase — more than 25-30% compared to the previous year.

These results stem from coordinated initiatives like Operation Restore Justice and other targeted operations against child exploitation networks, including dark web takedowns and human trafficking rings. Patel credited stronger federal focus on border security and interagency cooperation for the improved outcomes.

“America’s children are safer today because we are hunting down these monsters without hesitation,” Patel stated.

The announcement has been hailed as a major success by supporters, while officials continue active operations to locate more missing children and bring predators to justice.