Police in Europe have arrested more than a hundred people in what officials are calling the largest online child-sex ring ever discovered.
At least 230 children, some as young as 7 years old, were rescued from sexual abuse, officials at the European police agency Europol said today. Europol Director Rob Wainwright said the child sex ring had 70,000 members and was probably the largest online pedophile network in the world.
Although most of the 184 arrests were made in Europe, the three-year investigation has flagged 670 suspected pedophiles around the world, from Australia to Brazil to the United States, officials said in a press release today. Those alleged offenders, police said, will be investigated and brought to justice.
The ring was operating on the site boylover.net, a discussion-only forum based out of the Netherlands where people shared their interest in young boys. Authorities say members used the site to exchange videos and photos of children being abused.
Police said they arrested members accused of having direct physical contact with children, but warned others active on the site that there will be more arrests. Britain's Child Exploitation and Online Protection Center lead the investigation, which aided authorities in 30 different countries in busting the ring.
One of the people arrested in England was a woman, officials said. Others included teachers, boy scout leaders and police officers.
