The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Monday that federal marshals have rescued more than 200 missing children and made three arrests after a six-week investigation concluded.

The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), working with various federal, state and local agencies across seven federal judicial districts, completed a six-week nationwide effort, “We Will Find You 2” (OWWFY2), which led to the discovery of 200 seriously missing children, according to a release. press releaseThe operation took place from May 20 to June 24 and targeted areas with a high number of reports of missing children.

The operation resulted in 123 children being rescued from dangerous situations, and an additional 77 were located safely by law enforcement or child welfare agencies. Of the children rescued, 173 were runaways in danger, 25 were other missing persons, one was the victim of a family abduction, and one was involved in a non-family abduction, the release stated. Some of the children rescued were as young as five months old, and 14 children were found outside the cities where they disappeared. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland expressed his gratitude for the efforts.

.Source “We Will Find You 2” operation searches for 200 missing children across the country

🔗: https://t.co/JjrJNClRXQ pic.twitter.com/S7AcbTtbDS

— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) July 1, 2024

“Words cannot express the horror felt by the missing children, their families and the community,” Garland said, the release added. “I want to thank the dedicated professionals at the U.S. Marshals Service and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children who worked tirelessly to locate 200 seriously missing children during this six-week operation and who work every day to keep children safe.” (Related: Fact Check: Does This Image Show Joe Biden Surrounded by U.S. Marshals?)

The operations took place in multiple locations, including Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, New York and Oregon. According to the Department of Justice, these teams were focused not only on locating missing children, but also on ensuring their safety and addressing serious risks of child sex trafficking, exploitation and other abuse.