Global Child Pornography Bust: Two Detained in Bulgaria in Widespread European Operation

A major crackdown on a child pornography network operating through the encrypted chat app "Signal" has led to the arrest of thirty-one individuals across Europe, including two in Bulgaria, according to AFP.

The arrests, carried out between November 13 and 17, spanned multiple countries, with 10 people detained in Spain, five in Hungary, four in Belgium, two in Bulgaria, and ten in France. Additional arrests in Finland, Romania, and Ukraine are anticipated in the near future.

The operation was prompted by a tip-off from the US Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which flagged a 30-year-old man residing in southwest France. Undercover French gendarmes conducted an investigation and uncovered over 200,000 illicit files within the network.

The investigation involved a team of more than 70 individuals, including 25 technology specialists, who identified approximately 700 individuals from 73 different nationalities. Some detainees face charges related to rape and the corruption of minors. Among those arrested are a Hungarian pediatrician, tourists who visited Thailand, a radio presenter, and a former teacher from Mayotte.

The operation aimed to disrupt the dissemination of child pornography, with authorities examining distressing footage as part of the investigation.

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