Login
iscover
Share this article on:
Powered by
MOMENTUM
MEDIA
Powered by MOMENTUMMEDIA
The two were charged as part of a global law enforcement operation that saw 25 people arrested from 19 countries.
Two men – one from Queensland and one from NSW – have been arrested by the Australian Federal Police as part of a global law enforcement operation led by Danish police.
Operation Cumberland also involved Europol and law enforcement agencies from 18 other countries and led to the arrest of 23 other individuals, all charged with the alleged production and distribution of AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
The 31-year-old Queensland man was charged on 25 February, and the 38-year-old NSW man was charged a day later. The men do not appear to know each other.
The arrests follow a Danish investigation that uncovered an online subscription service selling AI CSAM content to 273 people worldwide. Danish authorities informed the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE), which began its own investigation based on the evidence supplied.
Based on that investigation, the AFP executed search warrants at the homes of the two men, in Cairns in Queensland and Toukley in NSW. The AFP allegedly found child sexual abuse material on various electronic devices owned by the men, including their mobile phones.
“The exploitation and abuse of children is not restricted by borders, so no one country can combat this threat alone,” AFP Detective acting Superintendent Kurt Wesche said in a 1 March statement.
“AI technology is increasingly accessible, and the ACCCE has witnessed an increase in AI-generated child abuse material in the past year.
“It is getting harder for police to discern if an image shows a real child, and we are concerned AI-generated material diverts our investigative resources from finding real children who are being abused and at harm.”
Detective acting Superintendent Wesche said that despite the images not being based on real children, such activity is still actively exploiting children for sexual gratification.
“In Australia, it is a criminal offence to create, possess or share content that depicts the abuse of someone aged under 18; it is child abuse material irrespective of whether it is ‘real’ or not,” he said.
The Cairns man was charged with four counts of possessing child abuse material accessed or obtained using a carriage service, while the Toukley man was charged with one count of possessing child abuse material accessed or obtained using a carriage service and one count of using a carriage service to access child abuse material.
Members of the public who have information about people involved in child abuse are urged to contact the ACCCE. If you know abuse is happening right now, or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000.
If you, or someone you know, is impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation, support services are available.
David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.
Be the first to hear the latest developments in the cyber industry.
