A 16-year-old teenager has been arrested in Malmesbury, Western Cape, for allegedly accessing, possessing, facilitating and downloading child sexual abuse material.
The teenager is expected to appear in the Malmesbury Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday following his arrest on Monday in an operation involving the South African Police Service (SAPS) and international law enforcement agencies.
SAPS said several child victims have been identified as part of the investigation.
“A preliminary on-site analysis of the suspect’s electronic devices uncovered explicit images and videos depicting child sexual abuse and animal mutilation,” police said.
The devices will undergo a full forensic examination to establish the extent of the alleged offences. Investigators are also probing possible charges linked to fraud and money laundering.
The investigation was launched after the SAPS National Serial and Electronic Crime Investigations (SECI) Team received intelligence from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the US Embassy and the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
The intelligence reportedly linked the teenager to “764”, a violent international online network associated with child exploitation and the coercion of minors into sexual abuse, animal torture and other criminal activity.
Following an extensive investigation, the National SECI Team traced the suspect to an address in Malmesbury, where he was arrested.
The operation was supported by SAPS Head Office’s Occult Unit, the Paarl Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit, the Paarl K9 Unit and the Western Cape Crime Scene Investigation Unit.
Agents from the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) at the US Embassy also assisted in the operation.
The investigation is continuing, with forensic analysis expected to determine whether further victims or offences can be identified.
The teenager is expected to appear in the Malmesbury Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday following his arrest on Monday in an operation involving the South African Police Service (SAPS) and international law enforcement agencies.
SAPS said several child victims have been identified as part of the investigation.
“A preliminary on-site analysis of the suspect’s electronic devices uncovered explicit images and videos depicting child sexual abuse and animal mutilation,” police said.
The devices will undergo a full forensic examination to establish the extent of the alleged offences. Investigators are also probing possible charges linked to fraud and money laundering.
The investigation was launched after the SAPS National Serial and Electronic Crime Investigations (SECI) Team received intelligence from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the US Embassy and the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
The intelligence reportedly linked the teenager to “764”, a violent international online network associated with child exploitation and the coercion of minors into sexual abuse, animal torture and other criminal activity.
Following an extensive investigation, the National SECI Team traced the suspect to an address in Malmesbury, where he was arrested.
The operation was supported by SAPS Head Office’s Occult Unit, the Paarl Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit, the Paarl K9 Unit and the Western Cape Crime Scene Investigation Unit.
Agents from the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) at the US Embassy also assisted in the operation.
The investigation is continuing, with forensic analysis expected to determine whether further victims or offences can be identified.