Large-scale operation by National Police Force throughout Spain against child pornography

Some of the thousands of pictures seized by police officer are considered to be extremely hard-core and can be categorised as sadistic or bestial. Those arrested, all male, two of whom are minors and two with intellectual disabilities, shared the files through P2P networks.

Cyber-officers patrol the Internet

The investigation started as a result of "cyber-patrols" carried out by the National Police Force. Officers specialised in technological investigations continually monitor various channels for the exchange of files as well as peer-to-peer networks, which are the resources used to distribute and download paedophile material over the Internet.

After close on a year of inquiries, investigators managed to identify dozens of users who, protected by the feeling of anonymity offered by this type of channel, shared sexual photographs and videos featuring minors, pictures which even fell within the realms of such practices as sadism and bestiality.

Home-grown marihuana plantation

The final large-scale operation involved the participation of close on 300 officers who arrested 81 people in the provinces of Madrid (14), Barcelona (11), Valencia (6), Alicante (6), Seville (5), the Balearic Islands (4), Pontevedra (4), Cadiz (3), Gerona (2), Albacete (2), Valladolid (2), Huelva (2), Jaen (2), Malaga (2), Navarre (2), Las Palmas (2), Guipuzcoa (1), Biscay (1), Zamora (1), Tenerife (1), A Coruña (1), Cantabria (1), Tarragona (1), Lleida (1), Almeria (1), Murcia (1), Asturias (1) and Zaragoza (1). Two of those arrested are persons with intellectual disabilities and another two are minors. When the home of one of the minors was searched, the officers found a marihuana plantation, which led to the arrest of the father of the minor as well, for a public health offence.

A total of 80 homes were searched, in which investigators analysed the computer equipment allegedly used to commit these offences, and a total of 96 hard drives, 58 computers, 68 pen drives, 4 tablets, 195 CDs and DVDs, 18 mobile phones, 25 memory cards, 1 console, 1 MP4, I video-camera and 2 cameras were seized, containing thousands of pictures of child pornography.

The investigation was carried out by officers from the Technological Investigation Brigade and Judicial Police Brigades of provinces and municipalities throughout Spain. The officers continue to analyse and work on the material seized to determine the possible existence of offences comprising the production of paedophile material, sexual abuse of minors and relations with other paedophiles.