TORONTO – More than 300 victims of sexual exploitation of minors have emerged from the “dark web”, i.e. the “hidden” internet, where online crimes are committed, often horrific such as child pornography: they were discovered by an international coalition of forces of the order, including the Canadian ones, which have worked in synergy to vanquish the terrible “traffic”. 

The joint effort, dubbed “Operation Renewed Hope,” grew out of a three-week investigation that began on July 17. Investigators combed through sexually explicit internet material involving children (and therefore intended for paedophiles), in some cases with ten-year-old content, in order to determine the whereabouts of the victims. Investigators were thus able to identify and locate 311 children and confirmed the rescue of several victims of abuse still active, as announced by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The operation – led by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with the collaboration of FBI, Interpol, Europol and law enforcement agencies in Australia, Europe, South America and Canada – allowed investigators to identify the places of abuse and coordinate with law enforcement partners, targeting criminals who have left “fingerprints” on online forums, websites, email, chat and various file sharing applications.

In Canada and the United States, those responsible for the violence have already been arrested.

“These crimes, and the people who commit them, are pernicious and abhorrent and pose a scourge to the global communities we serve and seek to protect” said Katrina W. Berger, associate executive director of HSI. “HSI personnel are committed to identifying, locating and rescuing victims of abuse and apprehending those who prey on the most vulnerable. We couldn’t be clearer about this: if you are abusing or exploiting children, we will leverage every authority, cooperation and resource at our disposal to bring you to justice”.

Anyone who suspects that a child may be a victim of sexual exploitation or abuse should consult the Canadian Center for Child Protections website at cybertip.ca, where they can obtain information and help with the investigation.

Foto di Kaur Kristjan su Unsplash