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AFPVictoria Police Sting Shuts Encrypted Child‑Abuse Group, 35 Men Charged

Undercover infiltration of a secure chat enabled sweeping charges after a year-long probe.

Overview

  • Authorities said the covert investigation has concluded and the online network has been dismantled, with 26 suspects in Victoria and nine in NSW facing more than 1,000 offences.
  • Investigators executed 31 search warrants across Victoria, seized about 100 electronic devices, and identified roughly 65,000 images and more than 300 hours of video.
  • Police reported no newly generated material involving Australian children and believe the abuse depicted occurred offshore.
  • Nineteen referrals to domestic and international partners led to further action, and all recovered material was uploaded to the ICSE database to assist victim identification overseas.
  • Early court outcomes include a 46-year-old Melbourne administrator sentenced to about 12 years in 2024 and a Central Victorian offender given six years in 2025, with additional prosecutions ongoing.