NSW Police Dismantle Major Child Exploitation Ring Linked to 700 Alleged Offenders

Investigations into an online platform used to access and distribute child abuse material have uncovered a network of 700 alleged offenders and the largest cache of harmful material ever seized in a single operation, according to New South Wales (NSW) police.

Details of Strike Force Glandore have been revealed now that police have made their 62nd and final arrest, of a 37-year-old man from Corrimal on May 7.

The man has been charged with 21 offences, including 13 counts of using a carriage service to make available child abuse material, two counts of using a carriage service to solicit that type of content and one count of possessing it. He was refused bail and was due to appear in court on May 8.

About 5 a.m. on May 7, strike force detectives—with assistance from the Public Order and Riot Squad and South Coast Police District—executed a search warrant in Nowra.

Police detected and confiscated a number electronic devices containing large volumes of child abuse material, with detectives later arresting a man after stopping his vehicle in Corrimal.

Highest Number of Arrests

The operation has been in effect since 2023, with detectives having laid 400 charges and safeguarding 20 child victims over the intervening time. Of those arrested, 61 are men, and one is a woman.

Detective Acting Superintendent Adam Powderly said it also marked the highest number of arrests ever made under a single investigation.

“[The] final arrest closes one of the biggest Child Exploitation Internet Unit strike forces to date, and has made a significant dent in the number of paedophiles operating in NSW, disrupting a key part of Australia’s online child abuse network,” he said.

“Every image shared, every file accessed, represents a real child who has been harmed.”

Police started the investigation after they discovered that over 700 alleged offenders in Australia were using a global cloud-based platform to access and exchange content. The operation involved numerous arrests across NSW, including suspects in Belmore, Epping, the Central Coast, and Orange.

“Offenders often think they can hide behind technology, but they can’t,” Powderly said. “The ongoing cooperation [of] this specific cloud-based application greatly contributed to the investigation and prosecution of these offenders.

“Strike Force Glandore may be finished, but our work is not. We will continue targeting offenders who hide behind screens and usernames in every corner of this state. The NSW Police Force remains committed to protecting children from online predators.”

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