COSTA MESA / NEWPORT / IRVINE : COSTA MESA : 19 Are Arrested in Prostitution Sweep

Undercover vice officers arrested 15 men and four women on prostitution-related charges after making a sweep of Harbor Boulevard late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning, Costa Mesa police said.

Sgt. Tom Curtis said female undercover officers made the arrests of males as they solicited them along Harbor Boulevard north of the San Diego Freeway, Curtis said. The female suspects were arrested by male undercover officers who posed as prospective customers.

Curtis said both the male and female suspects were booked on suspicion of “agreeing to commit an act of prostitution.”

The sweep was the latest by a special task force created in late August to deal with growing prostitution along Harbor Boulevard. Curtis said the task force so far this month has arrested 46 persons, including those arrested Wednesday night and Thursday morning. The number of prostitution-related arrests since late August now totals 122.

Curtis said Costa Mesa arresting officers have found that most of the female suspects arrested have been “professional” prostitutes, many of whom have vice records throughout the nation.

More sweeps will be held in the weeks ahead, Curtis said. “We’re going to keep doing this as long as it’s needed to kibosh the problem.”