NEWS

The Central Cybercrime Enforcement Office (CBZC), in cooperation with the Police Headquarters (KGP), spearheaded the international operation FEVER. This high-profile operation aimed to combat the sexual exploitation and abuse of minors by targeting individuals involved in producing, distributing, and sharing illegal content.

CRC Technology assisted in the multinational operation FEVER where 166 suspects were detained, 98 of whom were arrested in Poland. FEVER saw collaboration from police forces across multiple European countries, including Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and Bulgaria. Additionally, Europol and J-CAT supported the efforts, with participation from the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA), the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Investigation Department for Homeland Security (HSI). The National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) also provided valuable assistance.

FEVER was the largest operation yet conducted by the CBZC in collaboration with the KGP, marking a significant milestone in the global fight against online child exploitation. The operation targeted individuals who produced and distributed CSAM, as well as those running online forums where it’s exchanged.

During 159 searches in Poland, officers seized over 1,700 devices, including computers, hard drives, and mobile phones, as well as more than 520,000 files containing CSAM. Nearly 600 Polish police officers participated in the operation, revealing not only disturbing CSAM but also other illegal items such as drugs and firearms. The suspects, aged between 22 and 78, face severe charges of producing, possessing, and distributing CSAM. In 48 cases, courts have imposed temporary arrests, with those convicted facing sentences of up to 15 years in prison for the public distribution of such material.

A significant aspect of FEVER was Operation Kidflix, a joint effort by the CBZC and German authorities, which led to the shutdown of one of the largest pedophile streaming platforms globally. This platform, operational from April 2022 to March 2023, had nearly 1.8 million users, with 72,000 videos hosted on its server at the time it was seized by German and Dutch authorities. The CBZC reached 12 individuals who had actively used the service, and several of them now face charges related to the possession and distribution of CSAM.

As of now, a total of 166 individuals have been arrested, with 111 of them charged with the possession, sharing, and dissemination of CSAM.

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