Europol shuts down huge pedophile network

BRUSSELS - Investigators from more than 30 countries have dismantled a large pedophile network with almost 2 million users worldwide and detained 79 people, the EU police agency Europol said on Wednesday.

The 79 individuals were not only suspected of watching or downloading child sexual abuse videos but some of them are suspected of actively participating in abuse.

Some 1,400 suspects have been identified worldwide.

A platform, known as Kidflix, was taken offline under the leadership of authorities in Bavaria, Germany.

According to Europol, this was one of the world's largest pedophile networks and marks the most extensive operation against child sexual abuse in Europe to date.

The platform's servers with over 70,000 videos was shut down by German and Dutch authorities at the beginning of March.

The investigation began in 2022 but recently intensified. Authorities confiscated thousands of electronic devices and over 91,000 videos between March 10 and March 23.

Europol said Kidflix was set up by cybercriminals in 2021 and became one of the most popular platforms for pedophiles. On it, users could download and stream videos showing the sexual abuse of children for a fee.

Meanwhile, LETA learned from the Latvian State Police that in connection with the operation, the police have initiated two criminal proceedings and arrested two persons who purchased children sexual abuse material on Kidflix. The Latvian police did not provide further information at the moment.