Police break net pedophile ring

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/web/police-break-net-pedophile-ring/2008/03/22/1206206971557.html#

Police break net pedophile ring
Frank Walker | March 23, 2008

AUSTRALIAN police have played a leading role in smashing an international pedophile internet network.

More than 22 pedophiles who thought their super encryption code was unbreakable have been arrested in the US, Canada, Europe and Australia.

Police around the world are using a new high-tech program - Child Exploitation Tracking System (CETS) - that links millions of files on child abusers. It was developed on the orders of billionaire Microsoft chairman Bill Gates and given to Australian police this month.

Australian Federal Police High Tech Crime Centre director James McCormack said police were getting on top of the internet criminals.

"It is a war being fought on many fronts. They do have very sophisticated means to hide their crimes but we are also using more and more sophisticated techniques and we are now having great success in this area," he said.

"I am very confident we are going from strength to strength in beating these people in the high-tech war."

In recent weeks:

? NSW police made their first arrest using a new law that makes it a crime to "groom" children for sex over the internet.

? NSW and Queensland police swooped on 24 people after a tip-off from the FBI they had been paying for access to internet child porn.

? Queensland police were key in breaking an international cabal of pedophiles known as "The Group", who were so secretive they were regarded as untouchable in the murky world of internet crime.

The breakthrough came after a tip from New Zealand police, who spotted heavily encrypted images being flashed to Australia. Queensland police then set up Operation Achilles. (See graphic).

With Australian police now adding CETS to their high-tech arsenal they will be more able to track peoples who click on to child-sex sites.

"The internet is no longer an anonymous place. The trade in these images is estimated to be up to $20billion. We are finding more and more of it but that may be because we are getting better at tracking it," Mr McCormack said.

AFP agent Melissa Northam is one of those trackers. "We have seen all facets of abuse, stuff we didn't even realise was possible. It is extremely traumatising in what we see but we know these children are relying on us to rescue them and we are their only hope.

"We get a lot of psychological help and it is tough. But seeing those images makes us more determined to catch these people and free the children from their abusers."

fwalker@sunherald.com.au
Operation Achilles

1 New Zealand police discover secret internet trade in heavily encrypted child pornography.

2 New Zealand investigators find a link to Australia.

3 Queensland detectives penetrate pedophile network "The Group".

4 They intercept European-made child-porn videos and notify Interpol, France.

5 Interpol sets up operation with police in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and Belgium.

6 Australian police identify two abused girls, later rescued. Belgian police arrest their father.

7 Police arrest an Italian filmmaker, who shot films to order.

8 Police trace 2500 customers in 19 countries. Nine people in Australia arrested; 48 targeted.

9 US joins forces with Australian undercover officer who penetrated The Group.

10 Arrest of 22 core members in the US, Canada, Germany and Britain. Arrest of 100 people who paid for images.

11 Two people arrested in Australia - in Queensland and Victoria.