Aussie cops smash alleged online child abuse ring operating around the globe – as arrests are made in five countries

NSW Police have busted an alleged online child abuse ring operating around the world, leading to the arrests of people across five countries.

Detectives attached to the Sex Crimes Squad disrupted a series of alleged offshore online child-abuse networks, with urgent intelligence referrals leading to arrests in Uruguay, England, Poland, Mexico and the United States.

Details of the arrests include a UK-based man who allegedly purported to be a woman while distributing child abuse material online, a man from South America who allegedly produced and distributed child abuse material and a Missouri man who was allegedly posting images and videos of child abuse to an online paedophile ring. 

During the Missouri man’s arrest on Friday, a three-year-old child was rescued and placed into child protection.

The man remains in custody and is expected to be charged with offences relating to alleged child sexual abuse and child abuse material.

It’s understood local police swooped after receiving urgent information from NSW detectives that identified a US-based account holder allegedly posting images and videos of child abuse online.

It comes a month after a 23-year-old man, also from Missouri in America’s midwest, was arrested and charged with child abuse offences following investigations from NSW’s Sex Crimes Squad. 

A NSW Police spokesperson said the State Crime Command’s Sex Crimes Squad Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU) conducts multiple concurrent investigations targeting the online sexual abuse and exploitation of children, including Strike Force Constantine and Strike Force Trawler.

Constantine refers to the investigation into online distribution of child sexual abuse material involving ritualistic or satanic themes, while Trawler targets broader child-exploitation offending facilitated through internet and telecommunications platforms.

‘Across both operations, detectives have analysed intelligence, identified offshore account holders, and urgently referred critical information to international law enforcement partners,’ the spokesperson said. 

‘These coordinated efforts have resulted in the identification and arrest of alleged offenders in Uruguay, England, Poland, Mexico and the United States. Each has been charged with child abuse offences and remains in custody.’

More to come.