German investigators mentioned Wednesday that they’d dismantled a significant platform for the distribution of kid sexual abuse pictures that had 1.8 million customers worldwide, in a global operation coordinated by the pan-European police company Europol.
The transfer to close down the “KidFlix” streaming service was “one of many largest blows towards youngster pornography in recent times, if not ever,” mentioned Guido Limmer, deputy head of the Bavarian Legal Police.
The investigation was led by German police and supported by authorities in 38 international locations, together with Australia, Canada and the U.S., below the coordination of Europol.
In all, “KidFlix” is claimed to have hosted greater than 91,000 movies with pictures of kid sexual abuse, totaling round 6,288 hours of video, in keeping with the Bavarian police pressure.
Authorities had been capable of determine nearly 1,400 particular person customers of the platform, which was hosted on the so-called darknet or dark web.
Europol
Police in March carried out searches at places in 31 international locations within the “largest operation ever” organized by Europol, in keeping with Limmer.
A joint raid by German and Dutch authorities resulted within the seizure of a tough drive with round 72,000 movies of kid sexual abuse, he mentioned.
In Germany, police carried out raids at 96 places, concentrating on 103 particular person suspects, the Bavarian police mentioned.
German authorities mentioned they’d labored to determine youngster victims of the abuse whereas the investigation was nonetheless in progress.
Police arrested a 36-year-old man within the jap German metropolis of Chemnitz in January 2024 who had looked for abuse pictures on “KidFlix”.
The person had additionally “supplied his younger son for video games,” Limmer mentioned. The kid had been handed over to youngster safety providers.
Investigators had additionally been capable of determine a “serial” abuser in america, Limmer mentioned.
“KidFlix” was created in 2021 by a “cybercriminal who made enormous revenue from it,” according to Europol, “because it rapidly turned probably the most well-liked platforms amongst pedophiles.”
About 3.5 new movies had been being uploaded to the location per hour earlier than it was taken down, in keeping with the worldwide police company.
