Australian police have just rescued 46 children and arrested 14 men involved in a global child abuse ring, with links to the US, Canada, Asia, Europe, and New Zealand.
After a tip-off from US officials, Australian police have just revealed that 46 children have been rescued from a child abuse ring. The victims were subjected to child abuse and other forms of exploitation before the police uncovered the network.
The victims are believed to be between 16 months and 15 years old, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said, with sixteen of them attending one childcare centre in NSW.
Among the arrested was a volunteer soccer coach, a childcare worker, an electrician, a chef, and a disability support worker. The 14 men were charged with 828 counts of child exploitation and abuse, as well as bestiality charges involving 4 animals.
The AFP said the investigation lead them to social media forums where the material was produced and distributed.
As investigators delved further into the man’s activities and reviewed electronic evidence, they discovered social media forums where some members were allegedly producing CAM, while others were accessing and circulating the material. pic.twitter.com/UY9csB1Fta
— AFP (@AusFedPolice) November 11, 2020
“Each warrant led to the discovery of more alleged offenders and more children to be saved,” said the AFP in a statement on Wednesday.
The most troubling of the cases involved a suspect who had worked in an NSW childcare centre who had access to 30 children, the police said.
The 27-year-old faces over 300 charges of abuse, including sexual offences. His partner, aged 22, is also facing charges.
“These men allegedly produced child abuse material for the depraved pleasure of their peers with absolutely no thought to the lasting effects their actions would have on these children,” said AFP Commander Christopher Woods in a statement yesterday.
“No child should be subjected to abuse and violence from people who hold high positions of trust in their lives, whether it be a family member, childcare worker or soccer coach.”
The arrests came after a year-long investigation, which is believed to be the biggest of its kind in Australia.
