Brazil police bust major pedophilia ring; arrest 108 people
In one of Latin America's biggest operations against pedophiles, Brazil police have arrested 108 people from 24 states and capital Brasilia. Among those detained include retired policemen and civil servants. They were reportedly part of a child pornography ring that circulated disturbing images of infants and babies. The operation is the result of a six-month long probe. It involved American and European immigration officials.
Over 1,50,000 files containing disturbing images of child abuse found
More than 1,50,000 files containing disturbing images of young children being abused have been discovered on the dark web, providing a testimony of the rampant child sexual abuse and the high demand for child pornography in Latin America. A few of the young victims revealed to the investigating officers the involvement of their parents and close relatives in the making of child pornographic content.
The gang used sophisticated techniques to avoid police investigations
Along with sharing illegal pedophile material on the web, the criminal gang also produced it. According to the investigating officers, they deployed high-profile techniques to evade police probes. They reportedly stored their content in the computers of unsuspecting people. However, it is not yet clear if the gang operated independently in Brazil or linked to other international criminal networks.
3,36,708 child sexual abuse cases registered in Brazil between 2011-2013
According to Brazil's Human Rights Hotline, 82,139 children and adolescents reported as victims of sexual abuse in 2011. Their number was 1,30,490 in 2012 and 1,24,079 in 2013. The violence included several kinds of sexual abuse and exploitation, including rape, child pornography and sexting.
