# Nebraska officials warn of human trafficking threats during CWS  
**Published:** 2026-06-08T23:53:13.000Z  
**Source:** [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/08/nebraska-officials-warn-of-downside-to-cws-crowds-urge-lookout-for-human-trafficking/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/nebraska-officials-warn-of-human-trafficking-threats-during-cws

[Omaha officials gathered Monday to highlight concerns about human trafficking](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/08/nebraska-officials-warn-of-downside-to-cws-crowds-urge-lookout-for-human-trafficking/) as the city prepares to host the [79th Men's College World Series, which begins Friday at Charles Schwab Field](https://www.ncaa.com/news/baseball/article/2026-06-07/2026-ncaa-baseball-tournament-bracket-schedule-scores-mens-college-world-series). The tournament is expected to draw roughly 370,000 fans and athletes over the 10-day event.

Gov. Jim Pillen, Omaha Mayor John Ewing Jr., and other state law enforcement leaders warned that major sporting events create opportunities for criminals to exploit vulnerable people. "The hard core reality is that there are some bad people that come here," Pillen said at Monday's news conference. "Criminals come to do trafficking and bad activities."

[Last year's College World Series generated $147.6 million in economic impact for the Omaha metropolitan area](https://cwsomaha.com/news/2026/5/13/general-mens-college-world-series-delivers-record-147-6-million-economic-impact-to-omaha.aspx), with nearly 71% of attendees traveling from outside Nebraska. The large crowds and full hotels create conditions that human traffickers can exploit while operating largely undetected, officials said.

Col. Bryan Waugh, superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol, said [the Nebraska Information Analysis Center now receives about 30,000 human trafficking-related tips annually](https://ago.nebraska.gov/nebraska-human-trafficking-task-force), compared to a few thousand decades ago. He attributed the increase to greater public awareness rather than a spike in trafficking alone.

Law enforcement plans aggressive countermeasures during the tournament. Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said his department will monitor the dark web for trafficking activity and conduct drone surveillance. Additional law enforcement will be deployed throughout downtown, and drones will fly over the stadium grounds for the two-week event.

Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers cited warning signs people should watch for, including controlling behavior, untreated medical issues, and "things that don't make sense." Residents are urged not to second-guess themselves and to report suspicious activity to trained professionals.

Omaha residents can call the Nebraska trafficking hotline at 1-833-PLS-LOOK (1-833-757-5665). Victims should contact the national hotline at 1-888-373-7888. Law enforcement officials encouraged the public to act as the first line of defense, noting that tips from hotel housekeepers, ride-share drivers, restaurant servers and other community members have proven crucial in uncovering trafficking operations.

## Sources

- [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/08/nebraska-officials-warn-of-downside-to-cws-crowds-urge-lookout-for-human-trafficking/)
- [NCAA.com - 2026 Men's College World Series schedule](https://www.ncaa.com/news/baseball/article/2026-06-07/2026-ncaa-baseball-tournament-bracket-schedule-scores-mens-college-world-series)
- [College World Series economic impact study](https://cwsomaha.com/news/2026/5/13/general-mens-college-world-series-delivers-record-147-6-million-economic-impact-to-omaha.aspx)
- [Nebraska Human Trafficking Task Force information](https://ago.nebraska.gov/nebraska-human-trafficking-task-force)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Nebraska Examiner, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/08/nebraska-officials-warn-of-downside-to-cws-crowds-urge-lookout-for-human-trafficking/.