SINGAPORE: Police officers from six Asian jurisdictions have arrested 435 people - including 21 men in Singapore - for their suspected involvement in online child sexual exploitation activities.
Police forces from Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Thailand conducted a cross-border operation from Feb 24 to Mar 28, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said on Friday (Apr 4).
An additional 109 people are also assisting with investigations, bringing the total number of people targeted to 525 men and 19 women aged between 13 and 68.
During the five-week operation, officers from the specialised crime branch of Singapore's Criminal Investigation Department, in collaboration with the five other police forces, conducted raids at 269 locations in Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand.
Electronic devices, including 84 computers, 279 handphones, 32 tablets, 150 storage devices and 9 routers, as well as child sexual abuse materials created by generative artificial intelligence tools, were seized.
In Singapore, the 21 men - aged between 23 and 61 - were arrested for their suspected involvement in:
- Producing, possessing, gaining access and distributing child sexual abuse materials
- Sexual assault
- Threatening to distribute intimate images or recordings
- Sexual communication with a minor
- Sale and transmission of obscene materials
- Possession of obscene films
Possessing child abuse material carries a maximum jail term of five years, while distributing or selling such material is punishable with up to seven years' imprisonment. Both offences also attract a fine or caning.
Preliminary investigations revealed that a 43-year-old man allegedly paid a young female victim over the span of several years in exchange for her live-streamed sexual acts.
Another 24-year-old man allegedly engaged in sexual communication with another young female victim and they had exchanged intimate photographs with each other.
SPF said the man also allegedly threatened to publish her photographs online if she refused to share more intimate materials of herself.
The two victims are non-Singaporeans based overseas, said SPF.
The Singapore police said that 11 of the arrested suspects have been referred to the Home Team Community Assistance and Referral Scheme.
Social workers in the scheme will conduct social triaging on them and assess whether further intervention is needed, the police said.
Deputy director of CID, Senior Assistant Commissioner Yeo Yee Chuan, expressed his appreciation to all officers involved for their professionalism and tenacity during the operations.
“Crimes against children are unacceptable and must be actively prevented.
"With the internet and the rapid evolution of technology, the distribution of child sexual abuse materials has become faster, more widespread, and increasingly anonymous," he said.
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