Searches at Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ homes related to ongoing sex trafficking investigation

Breaking news tonight. We have some new details about why federal agents may have raided mansions belonging to musician and producer Sean Diddy Combs. Carlos Suarez is outside of his Miami home for us. So what more do you know about what's behind these searches? Well, Anderson, a law enforcement tells my colleague, a law enforcement source, rather, tells my colleague Josh Campbell, that these search warrant activities at both of Combs homes are related to an ongoing sex trafficking investigation

. However, the source would not say whether Combs is the target of this investigation, citing the sensitivity of the investigation itself. Now, agents with Homeland Security raided two homes belonging to Combs, one here in Miami Beach, the other in Los Angeles. The property here in Miami Beach is an 11,000 square foot property. And late tonight, we saw agents walking out of this house carrying a cardboard box, as well as several bags from the second story of the property out here. Now, agents in

Los Angeles could be seen walking around Combs house there. They were processing the scene there and could be seen taking notes on a table. There. Now, an official with Homeland Security here in Miami tells me that the raid that took place here happened a little bit after 3:00 this afternoon. And a neighbor tells me that about 30 to 40 law enforcement officers showed up to the house out here and carried out this search warrant. Again, Anderson, late word tonight from a law enforcement source wh

o tells my colleague, Josh Campbell that these are search warrants that were executed is in connection with a sex trafficking investigator. However, the source would not say whether Combs himself is the target of the investigation. And Sean Combs commented on the searches. Yeah. So we have reached out to representatives of Combs. However, we have not heard back again. All of this played out here at around 3:00 this afternoon. Almost immediately, we were trying to get some details on exactly what

was taking place, not only here in Miami and Los Angeles, but as of this late hour. We have not heard from any of Combs representatives about the raids at either of his properties or the investigation itself. All right. Carlos Flores appreciated. Joining me now, CNN legal analyst and criminal defense attorney Joey Jackson and the aforementioned Josh Campbell. So, Josh, you were part of searches like this when you were an FBI agent. What do you read into the I mean, what stands out to you about

this? Well, this is all becoming a little clearer, Anderson. You know, from the moment that we first saw those SWAT vehicles roll up to those homes, as well as mobile command posts, all of those vehicles emblazoned with the letters HCI, that was an indication for those in law enforcement that we're likely talking about sex trafficking, because HCI itself is the primary investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. They deal with transnational criminal groups, but they also have a rob

ust, under effort underway to go after human traffickers. That involves two prongs, not only to rescue victims of human trafficking, trafficking, but also to locate and prosecute those who may be behind the trafficking itself. And again, you know, a source now tells me this is part of an ongoing trafficking investigation. We don't yet know what specifically they were looking for at these residences. We did see on the aerial footage dozens of law enforcement agents that were descending on both of

those locations. And so we'll have to wait and see what the search warrant itself actually entailed. But again, this comes after Sean Combs has faced a series of legal troubles in the past several months. I do include one accuser, for example, back in December. This was a woman who was 17 years old at the time that she alleged in 2003 that she was sexually assaulted by Combs, saying that she was sex trafficked, that she was subject to gang rape. Of course, Combs himself had denied all of that.

And then finally, just last month, a former employee of Combs had alleged in a civil lawsuit that he was forced to work for. Combs forced him to procure and interact with sex workers. And this individual also saying that Sean Combs son, Justin, was accused of soliciting prostitutes and underage girls to attend various parties and functions. Again, the combs have denied all of that. But all of this now coming into focus about what the likely key primary target here is of federal law enforcement t

hat's determine whether the extent of any sex trafficking that may have occurred in these residences and who may be responsible. So, Joy, Joey, just from a legal standpoint, would Sean Combs, his attorneys at this hour now be informed about what exactly they were looking for? Not necessarily. I mean, at some point, certainly you're going to want to if you have the lawyers assess, do you have a warrant, is it valid? What specific information underlies that warrant? Where was the probable cause wi

th respect to to any type of criminality found? Right. Who were the sources of that information? At some point, you'll have all of this. Remember that this is still an active and ongoing investigation as part of discovery. If this does get into something criminal, I would have to presume the U.S. attorney's office is. And we should point out, no criminal charges have been filed. Not at all. Right. This is simply an investigatory step. And at this stage, the investigation, they apparently went to

a judge. Right, Anderson, and said, look, we have reason to believe that indicia of criminality may lie within these residents. So they show up with a search warrant at these houses. Whoever is there has to let them in. Correct. I mean, it's a vow. If it's a valid warrant, presumably you have all these law enforcement officials there. You let them in. They search for what they search for. And then there's the other step, that of the step being, what specifically did you find? What, if any, conn

ection is that to any criminality? You give it to prosecutors and it's taken from them. And are they told what was taken from the house? Yes, there will be a specific list of items that will ultimately be turned over to attorneys if if it goes that far, which will delineate specifically what we took, what room we took it from, who was the agent or agents who who secured that information. And then it will go a step further because there'll be analysis on what items that were taken and what, if an

ything, in that analysis in a laboratory showed that it was connected to any type of sex trafficking, if any. Right. And from there, they'll be or there won't be a criminal prosecution. Joshua, I mean, when people hear the term sex trafficking, what comes to mind is moving people across borders. I mean, that's I assume that's not what's involved here. If that you know, it's unclear any of that went on. Yeah, it's unclear about the extent, you know, how global this we're talking about. Obviously,

with human trafficking that can be transnational in nature where people are brought in from overseas. But sex trafficking happens all across the United States here domestically, from people who are from the United States, particularly young victims who are subjected to, you know, such depravity by individuals. And that's this is why you have agencies like HCI primarily leading the effort to try to rescue those victims in order to hold accountable anyone who may be responsible. But it's somethin

g that doesn't get a lot of attention, particularly because a lot of these investigations happen behind the scenes. There's another element where oftentimes investigators will try to protect the privacy of victims, obviously, for good reason. But it certainly is a very sinister threat that HCA continues investigate coast to coast. We should point out there have been a number of civil lawsuits, I guess, against Sean Combs. Again, no criminal charges. It's really important to point out, have been

filed. This was this was a, you know, executing two search warrants. Is it, Joey? I mean, is it common for if civil if there are civil cases that that would trigger a Department of Homeland Security investigation? Not necessarily and not at all. However, if you have civil complaints, right, civil lawsuits relating simply to that. Right, the securing of compensation based upon some sexual misconduct, that's alleged, that's a civil in nature. In this particular case, apparently authorities evaluat

ed that. And from that, they certainly would have had access to the witnesses underlying those allegations, could have interviewed those witnesses and could have determined that based upon the civil allegations, there could be criminality that may very well have led to the probable cause which led to these warrants, which is leading to this criminal investigation. Jackson, thanks very much. Josh Campbell as well. Thank you.