Global online child porn ring smashed

The Australian Federal Police together with state and territory police seized laptops, hard drives and MP3 players including a large quantity of pornographic images of children.

Furthermore a global online trading room for images of indecent children and child abuse material collapsed following the operation involving members of the Australian Federal Police (AFP), Online Child Sex Exploitation Team (OCSET)and global affiliates.

AFP National Manager of Economic and Special Operations Roman Quaedvlieg said the AFP is committed to identifying and prosecuting online offenders to contribute to global efforts to prevent the crime of child sexual exploitation.

“The AFP works closely with international and local government agencies and industry bodies...in the fight against the proliferation of child sexual exploitation through the internet.

“These arrests are a stark reminder to parents and children to remain vigilant regarding who they pass on personal details to via the internet, even in seemingly innocent chat rooms,” said Assistant Commissioner Quaedvlieg.

Launching in 2006 operation Lobate began after the UK Child Exploitation Online Protection Centre (CEOP) contacted the AFP to conduct a joint investigation into users of a known paedophile chat room.

Cooperation commenced as part of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international taskforce working to fight on-line child abuse.

Global agencies have arrested 63 people across 35 countries, rescued 22 child victims of abuse.

The AFP will be hosting a media conference at 10am in Canberra this morning.