French authorities have arrested 95 people and seized hundreds of digital devices containing massive amounts of illicit material in what officials are calling a significant breakthrough against an international child exploitation network, Breitbart reported.
The National Gendarmerie's operation began in December last year and confiscated 122 computers, 152 smartphones, and 330 other digital devices. The seized equipment contained 375,000 photos and 156,000 videos, totaling 217 terabytes of illegal content.
Among those arrested were several individuals in positions of authority, including a youth organization director, a sports instructor, and a deputy mayor, according to Le Figaro. The majority of suspects have already confessed to their involvement.
The suspects, all male except for one 16-year-old minor, ranged in age from 18 to 74 years old. Thirty-six of those arrested were previously known to law enforcement for similar offenses involving children or accessing illegal content online.
The investigation was triggered when authorities, during a phone search, discovered multiple discussion groups sharing illegal content on the encrypted messaging platform Signal.
Colonel Hervé Petry of the National Cyber Unit (UNC) emphasized the severity of the situation: "What is hidden behind these forums is this whole galaxy of child criminals who potentially can be extremely dangerous because they can also be predatory."
He further explained the escalating nature of these crimes in the digital age:
"The fight against child crime is an area in which the gendarmerie, for decades, has been very invested, very committed. Thanks to the rise of social networks, this has taken on a truly extremely worrying dimension since it has exploded. Before social networks, it took several years for these people to be able to access this type of image. And even more so when approaching children."
Petry noted that social networks have dramatically increased the accessibility of illegal content, stating, "Today, with social networks, there is an 'increase in supply' since images and videos can be exchanged extremely easily."
The operation marks one of France's largest coordinated efforts to combat online child exploitation, highlighting the growing challenges law enforcement faces in the digital era.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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