( CNN ) -- Law enforcement authorities have recovered 52 children and arrested 60 pimps allegedly involved in child prostitution , the FBI announced Monday . More than 690 people in all were arrested on state and local charges , the FBI stated . The arrests were made over the past three days as part of a nationwide law enforcement initiative conducted on the federal , state and local levels , the bureau said . `` Child prostitution continues to be a significant problem in our country , as evidenced by the number of children rescued through the continued efforts of our crimes against children task forces , '' Kevin Perkins , assistant director of the FBI 's Criminal Investigative Division , said in a written statement . `` There is no work more important than protecting America 's children and freeing them from the cycle of victimization . '' The three-day operation , tagged Operation Cross Country IV , included enforcement actions in 36 cities across 30 FBI divisions nationwide . It is part of the FBI 's ongoing Innocence Lost National Initiative , which was created in 2003 with the goal of ending sex trafficking of children in the United States . The initiative , conducted with assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children , has so far resulted in the recovery of almost 900 children , according to the FBI . It has also led to more than 500 convictions .
3-day Operation Cross Country IV conducted on federal , state , local levels . FBI says more than 690 people in all were arrested on state , local charges . `` Child prostitution continues to be a significant problem in our country , '' FBI says . Operation is part of initiative aimed at ending domestic sex trafficking of children in U.S .