Trigger warning: This article contains descriptions of child abuse
Six Adelaide men have been charged over the alleged online and real-world sexual abuse of children — some as young as three — in a major crackdown by Australian authorities.
The disturbing arrests were made across six days, from September 6 to 11, as part of a coordinated sting during National Child Protection Week.
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The operation was led by the South Australian Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (SA JACET) — a taskforce made up of Australian Federal Police and SA Police investigators — and triggered by tip-offs from both local and international law enforcement.
Detective Sergeant Jarrod Cook from the AFP said police are ramping up efforts to hunt down child predators who lurk online.
“With more kids using the internet every day, the risks are growing,” he said.
“We will never stop working to expose these predators and bring them to justice.”
Meanwhile in NSW, more than 140 officers were involved in the operation, which saw eight men and one woman charged, all of whom face offences with a maximum penalty of 10 to 20 years’ imprisonment
Australian Federal Police (AFP) said they 15 search warrants had been executed between August 28 and September 11, in Sydney, the Central Coast and Wollongong.
The AFP’s said the blitz followed an increase in reports of child abuse material made to the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE).
In the 2024-2025 financial year, the ACCCE said it received more than 82,700 reports of child exploitation, a 41 per cent rise from the previous financial year.
NSW Police confirmed none of the nine people charged currently hold employment positions with access to children.
In a special 7NEWS spotlight investigation, horrific details are shared about a list of 395 Australians suspected of participating in a disturbing new trend — directing the abuse of children overseas from their homes in Australia.
On Sunday at 8:20pm, 7NEWS speaks to an extraordinary group of Australians — former detectives, special forces operatives, even tradies - who track down south-east Asia’s most prolific child sex traffickers.
7NEWS tracks down one of the 395 men on the client list — a grandad and businessman living in regional Australia — who is free and will never spend a day in prison, even after he directed the abuse of a little girl.
Police are now urging parents to have frank conversations with their kids about online safety.
Chief Inspector George Fenwick from SA Police says predators often hide behind fake profiles on gaming platforms and social media, grooming children before luring them to more private spaces online.
“What looks like innocent fun can quickly become dangerous,” he warned.
“Parents need to know what their kids are doing online — and kids need to know what to do if something feels off.”
Authorities say more arrests are likely as the crackdown continues, warning predators technology is making it harder to hide.
“If you’re preying on children — we will find you,” Fenwick said.
“There is nowhere to hide.”
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