Two people were indicted in a child trafficking case while a separate statewide operation identified 97 suspected victims and resulted in 71 arrests.

Attorney General Jennifer Davenport has made combating human trafficking one of her office’s most visible public safety initiatives this year, pairing increased enforcement with a public awareness campaign to help people recognize exploitation and connect victims with support.

This week, the attorney general’s office announced developments in two separate human trafficking investigations. On Tuesday, Davenport announced the indictment of two people accused of trafficking a child throughout South Jersey and Pennsylvania. A day earlier, the office announced the results of a separate statewide operation conducted before and during the World Cup that identified 97 suspected trafficking victims and led to 71 arrests, including 40 people accused of trying to buy sex.

Together, the announcements highlight the attorney general’s office’s continued focus on combating human trafficking through both long-term criminal investigations and targeted enforcement operations.

Human trafficking includes both forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation.

“In New Jersey, we will continue to investigate and prosecute the criminals who traffic and exploit victims, all while supporting survivors and connecting them with the resources and services they need to rebuild,” Davenport said in a statement. “We are committed to ending the suffering human trafficking leaves in its wake.”

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The South Jersey trafficking investigation began last October after someone alerted the Atlantic City Police Department that Tamier R. Brown-Miller, 26, of Philadelphia, and Dezeree Smith, 25, of Collingswood, had allegedly been trafficking a child for about four months.

Investigators said Brown-Miller and Smith transported the child to motels in Cherry Hill, Atlantic City, and Pennsylvania, where the victim was made to perform sex acts with men.

Brown-Miller is also accused of taking sexually explicit photographs of the child, using them to advertise escort services on social media, drugging the victim, and sexually assaulting the child, according to prosecutors.

Brown-Miller and Smith were also charged Oct. 30 in connection with a separate alleged trafficking incident. In that case, Brown-Miller is accused of threatening to kill a victim’s family inside a Gloucester City motel room.

Prosecutors said Brown-Miller and Smith kept all of the money generated through the alleged exploitation.

The pair face charges including racketeering, kidnapping, conspiracy to commit human trafficking, human trafficking of a minor, and promoting prostitution. Brown-Miller also faces two counts of second-degree sexual assault and one count of promoting prostitution involving a child. If convicted, the two could face decades in prison and substantial fines.

The separate statewide operation announced Monday involved the Division of Criminal Justice, the New Jersey State Police, and 44 local, county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.

Authorities said the operation identified 97 suspected trafficking victims and resulted in 71 arrests, including 40 people accused of trying to buy sex. The remaining criminal cases will be prosecuted by county prosecutors in the jurisdictions where the alleged offenses occurred.

Law enforcement agencies also worked with advocacy groups to connect suspected trafficking victims with legal assistance, housing, mental health care, and treatment for substance use disorders.

“These operations reflect a trauma-informed approach to addressing the underlying causes of human trafficking and prostitution,” said Theresa Hilton, director of the Division of Criminal Justice. “Victims are being offered support to address their vulnerabilities and give them a way out. They’re being offered hope and a path forward to safety, care, and hopefully a better life.”

Before the World Cup, the attorney general’s office launched a public awareness campaign with the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the New York City Mayor’s Office, and the nonprofit It’s a Penalty. The campaign distributed information at airports, hotels, transportation hubs, fan events, and other locations to help people recognize the warning signs of human trafficking and report suspected cases.

Officials said the effort paired public education with targeted enforcement to identify victims, arrest traffickers and people seeking to buy sex, and connect survivors with services. They said major sporting events can create additional opportunities for traffickers to exploit vulnerable people, making prevention efforts especially important.