Interpol, in coordination with Spanish police, has arrested 20 people across 12 countries in an international operation targeting child sexual abuse and exploitation. The operation, initiated by Spain in late 2024 and conducted from March to May 2025, involved online patrols that identified instant messaging groups used for the circulation of child sexual exploitation images.
Seven suspects were arrested in Spain, including a healthcare worker accused of paying minors from Eastern Europe for explicit images, and two teachers charged with possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material online. Ten suspects were detained in Latin America, including three in El Salvador and a teacher in Panama. The remaining arrests occurred in other parts of Europe and the United States.
Authorities seized computers, mobile phones, tablets, and digital storage devices during the operation. In addition to the 20 arrests, 68 further suspects have been identified and investigations are ongoing. The information gathered has been shared with authorities in 28 countries across the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Oceania.
In a separate case in Japan, a 37-year-old elementary school teacher in Saga Prefecture was dismissed for allegedly possessing about 500 child pornography videos, which he received and distributed via social media.
In Chile, a healthcare worker from Molina was placed in pretrial detention after child pornography was found on his work computer. The case is under judicial review.
Separately, Canadian police arrested 36 men and laid 128 charges following a 12-day operation involving 21 police services targeting child sexual exploitation. In Boston, 13 individuals were arrested in an operation addressing sexual exploitation.
Child pornography: 20 people arrested in an international operation
Spanish police identify instant messaging groups dedicated to the exchange of images of sexual exploitation of children and adolescents
