Italy Takes Action Against Child Exploitation
The Public Prosecutor's Office in Rome has announced the arrest of 17 individuals as part of an extensive investigation targeting an international network based in Italy that was engaged in the distribution of child sexual abuse content via the messaging application, Telegram. This operation marks a significant crackdown on online exploitation, highlighting the ongoing battle against child abuse in the digital age.
Undercover Italian police managed to infiltrate the network by establishing trust with its operators, posing as an administrator. This strategic move allowed investigators to monitor the group’s activities closely. Authorities seized approximately 283 gigabytes of material, which included over 22,000 videos and 34,000 images of children, some as young as four years old, in distressing situations.
The group, identified as "New Saga," boasted more than 1,000 users worldwide and operated under a model that required payment in cryptocurrency or the submission of new content to gain access to its channels. The investigation, which started in 2024 following information from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, has led to the identification of 996 accounts linked to 98 countries. Information regarding these accounts is being shared with international law enforcement agencies as the inquiry continues.
As reported by hespress.com.
