Civil servants among 69 Malaysians nabbed in international online child exploitation crackdown
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Ops Cyber Guardian, organised by the Singapore Police Force, carried out raids from April 6-8.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
KUALA LUMPUR - A joint international crackdown on online child sexual exploitation led to the arrest of 69 people in Malaysia, including several civil servants, said Inspector-General of Police Khalid Ismail.
He said at a press conference at Bukit Aman on April 30, said that Ops Cyber Guardian, organised by the Singapore Police Force, involving law enforcement agencies from Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia, carried out raids from April 6-8.
“A total of 110 targets were identified, and the operations were conducted all over the country, with all police contingents involved.
“A total of 69 people were arrested,” he said, adding that the police also seized 126 case items.
“The operation also led to the discovery of 204,934 files of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) and 293,760 of adult pornography,” he said.
Investigations showed that the crime also involved a commercial element, with CSAM being bought and sold.
“A total of 62 investigation papers have led to 62 of those arrested being charged in court. Three have been sentenced to jail terms ranging from three to seven months.
“This crime is no longer just an isolated incident; it is increasingly becoming more organised and profit-oriented. Consequently, a comprehensive strategy that includes intelligence gathering, law enforcement, and strategic cooperation at both national and international levels is essential,” he said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
