German police have shut down “one of the biggest darknet child pornography platforms in the world” and arrested four of its members in a series of raids last month.
The platform, named “Boystown” which was “set up for the worldwide exchange of pornography” had existed since 2019 and had almost half a million members.
Paedophiles used the darknet platform to communicate with each other and to share graphic images and videos which included “severe sexual abuse of toddlers”, particularly little boys.
Three men aged between 40-64 accused of managing the platform were arrested in Germany and a further suspect (also a German citizen) has been detained in Paraguay.
The months-long German-led operation was coordinated by Europol and supported by law enforcement authorities in the Netherlands, Sweden, the United States, Canada, as well as Australia. It has been hailed as a “fantastic success in the fight against sexual violence against children”.
Germany's Interior Minister Horst Seehofer thanked the authorities for their efforts, stating:
"This investigative success has a clear message: Those who prey on the weakest are not safe anywhere. We are holding perpetrators accountable and doing what is humanly possible to protect children from such repugnant crimes.”
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