The FBI announced they have rescued 13 children and arrested nearly 100 suspects in a massive child sex trafficking abuse network related to the deaths of two FBI agents.
An investigation by U.S. and Australian officials led to the release of 13 children and the arrests of suspects.
FBI legal attaché Nitiana Mann said 79 people had been arrested and 43 had been convicted
Meanwhile, police in Australia announced they had arrested 19 men.
According to The Australian Federal Police, the investigation began in 2022 when the FBI provided information about a “technologically sophisticated child abuse network” involving criminals who created child abuse images and videos, which were then circulated on the dark web.
“The complexity and anonymity of these platforms mean that no agency or country can fight these threats alone,” said Mann.
Watch
The investigation involved an incident at the apartment of David Lee Huber in Sunrise, Florida, in 2021 when he fired upon FBI agents serving a warrant for child abuse charges.
Huber shot and killed two agents, Daniel Alfin and Laura Schwartzenberger while injuring three others before turning the gun on himself.
“After their murder, the FBI commenced an international operation targeting offenders on the platform,” said Australian police.
In a statement, FBI Director Christopher Wray said the two agents “exemplified heroism today in defense of their country.”
The men arrested in Australia were between 32 and 81 years old, Australian police said.
The police also indicated there were impeding additional arrests in the case.
“We see it as a significant outcome, and it should serve as a warning to those who are preying on our most vulnerable,” said Australian Federal Police Cmdr. Helen Schneider.
“We are looking for you, and we will find you and arrest you,” she added.
Last week, The Daily Fetched reported the FBI found 200 victims of sex trafficking and arrested 126 suspects of child trafficking and child sexual exploitation in a large-scale operation dubbed “Operation Cross County.”
The two-week operation in July identified 59 minor victims of child sex trafficking and rescued 59 actively missing children.
“Sex traffickers exploit and endanger some of the most vulnerable members of our society and cause their victims unimaginable harm,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a statement.
He also applauded the FBI and its partner’s efforts in locating actively missing children while arresting suspects of child trafficking.
READ: Lynne Patton: Trump Will Reinstate Title 42 to Fight Child Trafficking If Re-elected
