This month, the feds seized the website Backpage.com - which the Justice Department calls "the internet's leading forum for prostitution ads".
If you go to Backpage.com on Tuesday, there's a bold message from the federal government:
"Backpage.com and affiliated websites have been seized"
In a 93 count indictment, the Justice Department alleges the websites illegal prostitution ads earned "$500 million in prostitution-related revenue since its inception".
>> Feds: Backpage.com made $500M from prostitution-related ads
The website was created in 2004.
Lt. Dave Betz worked vice with the Chelsea Police Department for 15 years and says backpage.com made illegal solicitation even more dangerous, emboldening human traffickers.
"Backpage has become a major player or was a major player in the underworld sex trade. It offered them anon to conduct activities under the radar and made it harder for police to track where they were coming from," said Betz.
Federal investigators said sex traffickers used the site to advertise adults and children alike.
According to the indictment:
"....the term Lolita was code for under-aged girl"
"They could have an operations center somewhere where they are basically just a delivery service for these people," said Betz.
Betz says they try to combat the illicit activity not only through police work, but intervention services for victims who are often women and children.
Betz says while this likely isn't the last they've seen of websites like this, the shutdown sends a message.
"They know it's not going to be tolerated," said Betz. "We have to try to stay one step ahead of them."