Devices seized by gardai investigating international distribution of child sex abuse images
Searches carried out at nine properties across the country as part of Operation FEVER
Gardaí have seized 18 devices at locations around the country as part of an international investigation into the distribution of child sexual abuse images.
They have confirmed that nine properties in Ireland were searched as part of co-ordinated operation targeting the sharing and distributing of Child Sexual Abuse Material.
"The searches at nine locations nationwide were coordinated by the Online Child Exploitation Unit within the Garda National Protective Services Bureau and conducted by gardaí attached to Divisional Protective Services Units," said a spokesperson who added that 18 devices were seized by An Garda Síochána as evidence.
"Investigations into these seizures are now underway and a number of arrests will be made in due course as part of this ongoing operation," the spokesperson stated.
Led by the Polish National Police in conjunction with Europol’s Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce, Operation FEVER has led to 166 arrests across Europe. Of these, 111 people have so far been arrested for sharing and distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material.
Those arrested were identified to have produced paedophile films and images, run paedophile forums online, shared or possessed child sexual abuse material and in many cases were suspected of having physically abused children.
To date, police officers in Europe, with the support of a number of agencies in United States, have carried out more than 770 searches in Europe.
These searches have secured the seizure of over 594,000 files with illegal content contained on more than 6,000 digital media platforms.