International operation nabs 245 child porn suspects
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director John Morton (R) speaks as National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) CEO John Ryan (L) listens during a news conference January 3, 2013 at the ICE headquarters in Washington, DC. -- PHOTO: AFP
WASHINGTON (AFP) - An international police operation into child pornography led to the arrest of 245 people and the rescues of 123 children, mostly in the United States (US), the US immigration enforcement agency announced on Thursday.
Mr John Morton, director of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, said 23 of the suspects were arrested in six more countries, though declined to specify them.
"I can't, for very sensitive operational reasons, identify the countries involved," he said.
Thirteen of the children were rescued outside the US during Operation Sunflower - a five-week operation from Nov 1 to Dec 7 aimed at identifying people who own, trade or produce child pornography.
