Police arrested 13 people Wednesday in Dorchester who allegedly participated in “sexual exploitation.”

The operation focused on the South Bay Mall. Undercover officers worked to identify “exploiters, traffickers, and sex buyers,” Boston police said in a statement. Authorities said that they targeted the area because it is a known place where “exploitation” occurs.

Multiple BPD units participated in the operation alongside State Police troopers and FBI agents.

The following people were arrested and charged with soliciting sex for a fee:

Abshir Mohamed, 31, of Roxbury

Jose Diaz Belen, 58, of Dorchester

David Pingley, 61, of Boston

Jose Lopez Rodriguez, 34, of Springfield, Vermont

Guillermo Prudencio, 45, of Revere

Bruce Weinstein, 68, of Dorchester

Timothy Smith, 62, of Dorchester

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