COLUMBUS, Ohio - Between July 1st 2022 and February of 2024, there were 420 known cases of human trafficking in Mahoning Valley.

That's according to stats from the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking task force, which was formed in 2018 to combat this issue. Since its inception, the task force has more than 900 trafficking related cases - it's a number they say vastly under represents the problem in the area.

To help law enforcement combat this issue, a statewide human trafficking hotline has been announced, which will go online later this year.

It's called 844-END-OHHT or (844)-363-6448 and it will funnel incoming tips on suspected sex and labor trafficking directly to law enforcement.

Attorney General Dave Yost announced the line's formation during the fifth annual Human Trafficking Summit in Columbus.

"It's simple: the more we know, the more we can do to help," Yost said. "We need to keep pushing these efforts forward so that, every day, those wo buy sex or compel another's labor know that we're coming for them."

You can watch 21 News' recent 101 West that delved deeper into human trafficking and the victim's that survived it here.