The National Police have apprehended 34 individuals for possessing and distributing child pornography across nine autonomous communities through various apps and social networks. Police searches uncovered videos that depicted sexual content involving minors in a particularly degrading and abusive way, underscoring the seriousness of these crimes and the harm caused to victims.
Detentions occurred in Alicante, where one person was arrested, as well as in Barcelona, Las Palmas, Gipuzkoa, Vizcaya, Lugo, Madrid, Mallorca, and Zaragoza. The operation unfolded in two phases, including both searches and the seizure of pornographic material that exploited minors in deeply degrading and abusive scenarios.
During the two operations, authorities seized a total of 62 DVDs, 38 mobile phones, nine laptops, several tablets, numerous hard drives, USB drives, and memory cards. The material included some of the most extreme sexual abuse of babies just a few months old, making the case especially grave.
One of the key arrests occurred in Alcoy, Alicante, where a suspect faced grooming charges for deceiving and pressuring minors to send sexual images and videos of themselves. That material has already been located and seized by the National Police. Two of those arrested were notably young, aged between 14 and 17.
Two parallel operations were conducted, yielding 19 and 15 arrests respectively. The investigation began in June 2022 after numerous reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and through international police cooperation channels. Analyzing the information, investigators identified nearly twenty people connected to the incidents, with 19 ultimately being arrested.
The second operation began after the parent company of a well-known social network reported that several users had distributed videos of child pornography across one of its services. This operation was led by the Central Cybercrime Unit in close collaboration with the Office of Investigations of the United States Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). This cross-border effort highlights the importance of cooperation to combat online abuse and bring offenders to justice.
From the total number of reports analyzed, investigators managed to identify and arrest 15 individuals in Alicante, Barcelona, Las Palmas, Gipuzkoa, Lugo, Madrid, Mallorca, Vizcaya, and Zaragoza. The cases illustrate the scale of distribution networks and the varied platforms used to share illicit material, emphasizing the need for ongoing vigilance and robust international partnerships to protect minors online. The authorities continue to urge the public to report suspected exploitation and to support ongoing investigations with information that could prevent further harm and secure more arrests.
Cited information from these operations reflects the commitment of national and international law enforcement to target all layers of the network behind child sexual abuse. The police have stressed the seriousness of these offenses, the need for rapid action, and the importance of safeguarding vulnerable youngsters through preventive education, digital literacy, and strong reporting channels. This coordinated effort shows how agencies across borders can work together to dismantle exploitative networks and deliver justice for victims.