EU crimefighters 'dismantle' child sex network

An investigation into an EU-wide child pornography network has led to 92 arrests in eight countries.

The network made videos of children being abused and sold them to 2500 customers in 19 countries, says the EU police force, Europol.

The films were mainly produced in Ukraine, Belgium and the Netherlands, and most of the victims were Ukrainian.

Police seized thousands of computers, videos and photographs in their investigation - code named Operation Koala, and run jointly with EU judicial authority, Eurojust.

Europol director Max-Peter Ratzel said the probe began in July 2006, when police in Australia found a video on the internet showing an adult abusing two young girls.

The girls were identified by police in Belgium and the offender, their father, was arrested.

 He said the customers came from many different countries and all walks of life.
"We have identified schoolteachers, swimming instructors, lawyers, IT specialists," said Ratzel.

He said the videos had been "tailor made", with customers ordering specific acts to be performed by specific children.

Michael Kennedy, president of Eurojust, based in The Hague, stressed that the operation is continuing and there are likely to be further arrests.

“This is a first class example of how the difficult challenges presented by international organised criminals can be met.”

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