Pretoria – The South African Police Service (SAPS) has arrested 46 men and have identified a further 30 suspects in a child pornography distribution ring operating in South Africa.
Working with the Belgian Police and following a lengthy investigation for crimes against persons suspected of the production and/or possession as well as import, export, transport or facilitating these events of pornographic images that depict minors, the SAPS has uncovered a child pornography distribution ring operating in South Africa.
National Police Commissioner General Riah Phiyega said child pornography was a massive problem - the full extent to which is unknown at this stage. She said the crime was quietly stealing children’s innocence and emotionally scarring them for life.
“The exploitation of children by sexual predators through the internet is a huge problem for the police, here in South Africa and abroad. Online child sexual exploitation can easily be committed from across borders.
“Perpetrators of these crimes can easily creep into our homes and get hold of our children through smart gadgets as well as through widely available social media platforms. The internet, while being one of this century’s best innovations, has become a sort of double-edged sword,” said the Commissioner.
Phiyega said an investigating team, which has been looking into these multiple investigations for just over a year, has been to many parts of the country, arresting one suspect after another.
She said so far they have arrested 46 men and have identified a further 30 who must still be arrested. – SAnews.gov.za
