A cross-border investigation launched in Spain led to the arrests of individuals involved in an extensive online network dedicated to exploiting children, with further suspects identified in 28 countries.
Interpol's Global Operation Nets 20 Arrests in Child Sex Abuse Material Network
Interpol's Global Operation Nets 20 Arrests in Child Sex Abuse Material Network
A major operation led by Interpol has resulted in the arrest of 20 individuals connected to a vast international network distributing child sexual abuse material across various continents.
Interpol announced on Friday that a significant operation has culminated in the arrest of 20 individuals linked to a global network responsible for producing and disseminating child sexual abuse material. This international sweep, which spanned 12 countries in Europe and the Americas, has also unveiled connections to potential offenders in Asia and the Pacific region.
The crackdown was initiated by Spanish authorities last year when officers from the cyberpatrol unit detected suspicious messaging groups focused on sharing illegal images of child exploitation. As investigators monitored this concerning activity, it became evident that the network operated on a much larger scale, prompting coordination with Interpol to expand the inquiry into South America.
On Friday, Interpol disclosed that arrests were made in several countries including Argentina, Brazil, Italy, and the United States, while investigators identified 68 additional suspects across 28 nations in the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. In Spain alone, authorities apprehended seven individuals in five provinces, seizing multiple electronic devices used in these illicit activities.
Among those captured, a schoolteacher in Seville was found in possession of exploitative material and associated with chat groups distributing such images. In Barcelona, a health worker treating children was arrested for allegedly paying minors in Eastern Europe for explicit content. In total, operations in Latin America also led to the arrest of a teacher in Panama and additional suspects across the region.
The case highlights the significant and persistent threat of child exploitation online and underscores the global commitment to combat this pervasive issue.
The crackdown was initiated by Spanish authorities last year when officers from the cyberpatrol unit detected suspicious messaging groups focused on sharing illegal images of child exploitation. As investigators monitored this concerning activity, it became evident that the network operated on a much larger scale, prompting coordination with Interpol to expand the inquiry into South America.
On Friday, Interpol disclosed that arrests were made in several countries including Argentina, Brazil, Italy, and the United States, while investigators identified 68 additional suspects across 28 nations in the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. In Spain alone, authorities apprehended seven individuals in five provinces, seizing multiple electronic devices used in these illicit activities.
Among those captured, a schoolteacher in Seville was found in possession of exploitative material and associated with chat groups distributing such images. In Barcelona, a health worker treating children was arrested for allegedly paying minors in Eastern Europe for explicit content. In total, operations in Latin America also led to the arrest of a teacher in Panama and additional suspects across the region.
The case highlights the significant and persistent threat of child exploitation online and underscores the global commitment to combat this pervasive issue.
