New Zealand-led probe uncovers nightmare trove of sadistic child sex images – then used it to save 146 kids
- More than 90,000 accounts were identified to contain images of online child sexual abuse
- Discovery of material secured hundreds of arrests globally and safeguarded 146 children
A New Zealand-led global investigation into online child sexual abuse material identified more than 90,000 accounts, led to the arrest of hundreds of offenders worldwide and safeguarded 146 children, authorities said on Wednesday.
The collection of online imagery was discovered in late 2019 when a New Zealand-based internet service provider raised the alarm, sparking a two-year long investigation dubbed “Operation H.”
New Zealand’s Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Australian Federal Police, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Britain’s National Crime Agency, Europol and INTERPOL worked together to identify and investigate individuals tied to the accounts.
“Many people who view material of this kind will go on to physically offend against children,” Tim Houston, manager of the digital child exploitation team at DIA and lead investigator for Operation H, said in a statement.
“It is imperative that we are able to bring them to justice before they are able to do more damage.”
About 836 cases were investigated internationally and 146 children safeguarded, the DIA said. Forty-six people were arrested in New Zealand and hundreds more overseas, including in Britain, Canada, Spain and Slovenia.
Britain’s National Crime Agency said many of the 450 people it had arrested were working in positions of trust, including at primary schools and nurseries, law enforcement and medical industries, and some religious officials.
“This is not a victimless crime, every time this material is viewed, that child is revictimised,” said DIA’s Houston.
The leads uncovered by the operation led to arrests that included the kidnapping, rape and torture of three young girls, including an 18-month-old toddler.
It has also led to the imprisonment of child sex offenders who were actively abusing children and producing their own indecent and illegal content.
British authorities have said the site was hosted in New Zealand and cited the investigation as leading to the arrests of hundreds of people in the United Kingdom.
Those included British couple Robert Stanley, 36 and Danielle Schofield, 34, who were jailed after evidence was found that she had sexually assault an 8-year-old girl while on a video call to her partner, who took screenshots.
Additional reporting from The New Zealand Herald
