AFP bust NSW paedophile ring where they had jobs involved being around children

The men accused of being part of a suspected paedophile ring that abused 16 children hid their sickening crimes from bosses and colleagues as they worked in a range of blue collar jobs. 

The 44 men aged 19 to 57 in every state except the Northern Territory allegedly shared child sexual abuse material using a ‘a cloud storage’ company. They have been arrested by the Australian Federal Police and face 350 charges. 

Six children were removed from harm in Victoria, another six in South Australia, two in Queensland, one in New South Wales and one in the ACT. 

Some men were allegedly abusing children themselves, filming it and sharing the videos online. 

The alleged offenders worked as school secretaries, retail workers, construction, transport, law enforcement and hospitality, many working closely with children. 

The Australian Border Force Officers were tipped off last year that Australian men were using a ‘cloud storage facility’ to share child exploitation material

One of two men arrested in Eagle Vale, NSW. Men aged 19 to 57 in every state and territory except the NT allegedly shared child sexual abuse material using a ‘a cloud storage’ company and have been arrested on 350 charges as part of the AFP’s Operation Molto

AFP officers seized laptops and mobile devices which contained child exploitation material

Following a year long investigation, AFP officers around the country swooped on several alleged targets who were sharing child sexual abuse material  on a ‘cloud storage’ company.

The ‘cloud storage’ was allegedly being used by thousands of men around the world including men from Australia.  

Some of the footage allegedly showed the men filming themselves as they abused the children before sharing them online. 

Others allegedly shared sickening videos that showed girls as young as 18 months old being raped and tortured. 

AFP officers seized horrific child abuse material, including videos produced by Australian paedophile Peter Scully, who is currently serving life in the Philippines. 

The AFP labelled Scully’s abuse material as ‘the most abhorrent produced’. 

The AFP searching homes of the alleged paedophiles who were exchanging explicit child material online 

A suspect is arrested by AFP officers in Blacktown in Sydney’s west. Some men were allegedly abusing children themselves and filming said abuse before sharing the videos online

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said there has been an increase in demand for investigating people allegedly involved in child exploitation. 

‘From 1 July, 2019 to 30 June this year ACCCE ­received 21,000 incoming ­reports of child exploitation material. That’s compared to 14,000 reports in the previous financial year, a dramatic ­increase,’ Mr Dutton told parliament on Thursday.

It has also been revealed that the federal government is looking to introducing new legislation which could help give spy agencies better access when investigating.  

The nine alleged offenders in South Australia include a reservist, a wood and metal worker, a videographer and a restaurant worker.

Meanwhile, the eight alleged offenders include a fleet services manager, IT consultant, forklift driver and retail services worker in NSW. 

A Tasmanian consultant and student were arrested, a school secretary and health and safety worker were charged in WA as well as a computer programmer in the ACT.

A man is arrested in Fairfield in Sydney’s west as part of Operation Molto. Some charged men allegedly shared sickening videos that showed girls as young as 18 months old being raped and tortured

Operation Molto began late last year when the AFP were tipped off by a US intelligence agency about an international paedophile ring. 

Thousands of men around the world shared child abuse material on a cloud-based storage system as part of the ring, some of which they produced themselves.   

The Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) has received 21,000 reports of child exploitation in the last last financial year, compared with 14,000 reports the previous year.

A 70-year-old man was arrested and charged with two counts of possess child abuse material obtained through a carriage service in WA and faced court on Thursday.

Laptops, phones and hard drives containing child abuse material that were seized by the AFP as evidence 

Meanwhile, a Ballarat man, 22, also faced court on Thursday charged with using a carriage service to possess child abuse material and accessing child abuse material using a carriage service.   

A Sydney man, 25, was arrested and charged with nine counts of using a carriage service to solicit child abuse material and eleven counts of possessing or controlling child abuse material obtained or accessed using a carriage service against section. 

He was refused bail at Mt.Druitt Local Court on Thursday and is next due in court on December 16. 

AFP Sergeant Joel Van Den Brun said demand for child abuse material is increasing.

‘If you access or trade these videos and images online, or pay to watch a livestream of children being abused in another country, you are complicit in the physical abuse of children,’ he said.

‘The AFP and our partners are committed to identifying anyone involved in the harm of children, whether they are in Australia or overseas, no matter their age or personal circumstances – police scrutiny is at an all-time high. 

‘It’s only a matter of time before we come knocking on your door.’

AFP officers gather evidence at an address in Rutherford, NSW. AFP Sergeant Joel Van Den Brun said demand for child abuse material is increasing.