A world child porn network with operatives in Australia is said to have been smashed by Australian police and U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation officers working together, according to Australian media reports September 29.
Those reports say Australian local and federal police executed hundreds of search warrants around the island country with the FBI’s help. Australian authorities said more details would come forth later, with a formal announcement expected September 30.
An Australian television news operation said the Australian operatives in the world child porn network in question used credit cards to get some of the images in which they dealt. The current case is considered ongoing.
"It's a despicable crime that child pornography exists and is so prevalent," said Jenny Burgess, a spokeswoman for child welfare agency Child Wise, to Australian broadcast media. "Every image shows an abused child and every person that looks at those images is, in fact, an abuser. "[But] I think it's extremely difficult - they are getting more and more sophisticated."
Burgess said child porn rings can regroup almost as quickly as they’re smashed, which she said is part of the difficulty in eliminating the crime altogether.
