65 Australians arrested in massive worldwide child-porn bust

0

SYDNEY: Sixty-five Australians were among more than 300 people arrested worldwide after Toronto police smashed a Canadian-based child sex abuse ring, Xinhua news agency reported.

Under the Operation Thunderer, the Australian Federal Police and state and territory police arrested the group that included two teachers, a priest and a former priest as part of a global investigation targeting users of a Canadian-based child exploitation website.

The New South Wales (NSW) Police said the four men have been charged with possessing child abuse material and using a carriage service to access child pornography.

A total of 386 children around the world have been removed from harm including six in Australia, the NSW Police said.

Commander of the NSW Police Sex Crimes Squad, Detective Superintendent John Kerlatec, said the squad would continue to work closely with its counterparts in Australia and overseas to target those people involved in sexual exploitation of children.

“The internet has created new opportunities for sex offenders to target and sexually exploit children and we will continue to prioritise the identification of these people so they can be put before the courts,” he said. –BERNAMA