Major Child Exploitation Crackdown in Spain: 61 Arrested in Nationwide Operation

The National Police in Spain have executed a significant operation resulting in the arrest of 61 individuals connected to the possession, production, and distribution of child sexual exploitation material. This extensive initiative involved nearly one hundred searches across various locations in Spain and was coordinated by the Central Cybercrime Unit alongside the Special Prosecutor's Office for Computer Crime. The complexity of the investigation arose from the sheer number of individuals scrutinized, the multiple judicial authorities engaged, and the thousands of files seized. Over 200 agents participated in what has been described as one of the most extensive operations to date against child pornography. Among those apprehended were a former professional military member from whom nine firearms and a significant quantity of ammunition were confiscated, a high school teacher with minors under foster care, and a computer engineer who allegedly installed sophisticated systems to distribute illegal materials. The operation began at the start of June and involved careful surveillance. For instance, one suspect in Coslada, Madrid, reportedly took drastic steps to hide his activities by deleting illicit content but was ultimately caught following digital forensics that traced his downloading and distribution of child exploitation material. In another troubling case, a high school teacher in Las Palmas was arrested for exploiting opportunities to film minors in compromising situations while they participated in activities, allegedly engaging in sexual behaviors or being unclothed. Further investigative efforts led to the capturing of a suspect in Ourense, who was utilizing public WiFi in a hospitality establishment to download illicit content. His actions were detected through patterns observed during certain time slots, leading agents to surveil him and ultimately arrest him while he was actively connected. In Castellón, a computer engineer was taken into custody for his advanced technical skills that enabled him to set up a wired connection to share the Internet with his brother, leading to collaborative downloading and distribution of illegal content. The haul from this significant operation was extensive: authorities seized 37 mobile phones, 63 computers (including both laptops and desktops), 229 hard drives, 58 USB drives, and over 1,600 different storage devices. Alongside the 61 arrests, a further 110 individuals have been investigated regarding their involvement in the production, distribution, and possession of child pornography. The arrested individuals were from various provinces, reflecting the operation's national scope, with arrests occurring in regions such as Vizcaya, Guipúzcoa, and Madrid, among many others. In light of these developments, the National Police have encouraged citizens to report any information about child pornography anonymously through their dedicated email address, denunciaspornografiainfantilpoliciaes. They reiterated the crucial message that sharing or storing images of minors is a serious crime and urged awareness in the fight against such exploitation. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2