Thursday, February 20, 2020

SOUTH AFRICA: INTERNATIONAL CHILD PORNOGRAPHY RING SMASHED; ALLEGED NEWS


SOUTH AFRICA; AN INTELLIGENCE-DRIVEN OPERATION BY THE SPECIALIZED UNIT OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE SERVICE [SAPS] AND THE UNITED STATES' DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY HAS SMASHED WHAT IS BELIEVED TO BE ANOTHER INTERNATIONAL CHILD PORNOGRAPHY RING, WITH OUTREACH IN GAUTENG: ALLEGED NEWS. [1]

International child pornography syndicate
The four-day operation, code-named "Moonlight", was conducted last week, leading to the arrest of five suspects - among them a daycare-center owner, convicted rapist and married father with children - believed to be part of an international child pornography syndicate: Alleged News. [1]

Child abuse material
Personal computers, hard drives, flash drives, tablets and cellphones with child abuse material were seized during the raid: Alleged News. [1] 

2013 arrests
In August 2013, international child pornography investigators uncovered a large international child-pornography ring, with links to South Africa: Alleged News. [1] Raids carried out in Canada in June and July 2013 led investigators to South Africa and culminated with the arrest of six people: Alleged News. [1]

August 2016 arrest
In August 2016, a Free State man was convicted on 933 charges of rape, sexual assault, possession of child pornography and manufacture of child pornography with two of the victims being his daughters: Alleged News. [1]

Colonel Brenda Muridili 
Colonel Brenda Muridili said the latest operation was conducted by members from the national and Gauteng SECI: Alleged News. [1] She said the team was acting on intelligence from their cyber-crime unit, with the subsequent raids at various properties resulting in the arrest of the suspects: Alleged News. [1]

Arrests
The first arrest of a 30-year-old man was made in Rietfontein Pretoria, last Monday: the second suspect, a 42-year-old married father with children, was arrested the same day in Claremont Pretoria: Alleged News. [1] The next day, police arrested a 62-year-old married pensioner who owned a daycare centre managed by his wife: the fourth suspect aged 42 was arrested on Thursday in Daspoort Pretoria: Alleged News. [1] The fifth suspect, a 34-year-old man with a prior rape and assault conviction, was arrested in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni: Alleged News. [1] 

Colonel Muridili said that another search warrant was executed in Garsfontein Pretoria: the suspect was not arrested as no material was found on the premises: Alleged News. [1] Electronic equipment was seized for further investigation: Alleged News. [1] The suspect has a pending 2012 case of possession of child pornography and bestiality due for judgement on 20 April 2020, Colonel Muridili apprised: Alleged News. [1] 

R5 000 bail
Colonel Muridili said the suspects had already appeared in court and were out on R5 000 bail each; Alleged News. [1]

[1] Inside child porn bust: The Citizen, Monday 17 February 2020, Alleged News

With thanks to The Citizen newspaper, South Africa

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