International Operation Targets Digital Child Abuse Network
The National Police have arrested 17 people across eight countries, including three in Spain, in a coordinated international crackdown on a child sexual exploitation ring. The suspects are accused of sexual assault, child prostitution, and producing and distributing child sexual abuse material both within victims’ family environments and via digital platforms. Arrests in Spain took place in Zaragoza, Toledo, and Barcelona, with additional detentions in Argentina (two), Bolivia (one), Brazil (four), Colombia (two), Guatemala (one), Peru (three), and the Dominican Republic (one), according to a police statement published on Tuesday 3rd November 2026. The investigation, led by AMERIPOL (Community of Police of the Americas) and involving 15 countries, began in July 2024 after authorities identified an individual in Zaragoza who allegedly used minors from his family circle to create sexually explicit photos and videos. These materials were then shared on digital platforms, prompting the initial probe.
Seized Devices Reveal Family-Based Abuse and Bribes
Police executed search warrants at the suspect’s home in Zaragoza and another location in Toledo, seizing 19 mobile phones, four computers, and four hard drives or USBs. Forensic analysis confirmed that the suspect recorded abuse involving underage family members and distributed the content online. Investigators also found evidence that a second suspect in Toledo offered money in exchange for sexual acts with a minor linked to the first detainee’s family. The operation revealed a wider network of individuals across multiple countries engaged in exchanging and profiting from child sexual abuse material.
Additional Arrests in Spain Under Separate Cybercrime Probe
In a related but separate operation also coordinated by AMERIPOL, Spanish authorities arrested an additional four individuals in Spain, in Valladolid, Sevilla, Murcia, and Jaén, bringing the total number of arrests on Spanish soil to seven. One suspect in Valladolid is accused of attempting to coerce a child into sending intimate images through an online game, even exposing himself during a video call before ending it upon realising the victim was male. These arrests were part of a six-country operation targeting online grooming and cybersexual abuse of minors, where suspects lured children with promises of in-game rewards in exchange for sexual challenges.
The National Police continues its commitment to dismantling networks that exploit minors, both domestically and internationally, with full coordination across borders.
The suspects face charges including sexual assault of minors under 16, production and distribution of child sexual abuse material, exhibitionism, child prostitution, and grooming.
Sources: El Confidencial, Europa Press, Newsroom Infobae (EFE).
