Six men charged over child sex trade Police in Oxford have charged six men in connection with an investigation into child exploitation. Thirteen men were arrested on Thursday following claims that 24 vulnerable girls between the ages of 11 and 16 were groomed for rape. The six will appear in court on Saturday charged with offences including rape, conspiring to rape a child, arranging child prostitution and trafficking. Seven others have been released on bail. The arrests were made following raids on 14 properties as part of Operation Bullfinch, a joint investigation by Thames Valley police and Oxfordshire county council's children's social care team. The six men, aged between 26 and 37, were charged with a total of 33 counts, including engaging in sexual activity with a child, conspiring to rape a child, arranging prostitution of a child, trafficking, rape, making a threat to kill and supplying a class A controlled drug to a child. Police began their operation after it was suspected runaway girls were being preyed on. Some may have spent six years being transported around the country. Many of the alleged victims were said to have been "known" to children's services. Police fear more children may be involved and have made public appeals for potential victims to come forward.