Police Bust Massive International Pedophile Ring

184 people arrested in more than 30 countries
By Kate Seamons,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 16, 2011 10:29 AM CDT
Police Bust Massive International Pedophile Ring
Officials elaborate on the details of arrests linked to a global child abuse ring during a press conference in The Hague, Wednesday, March 15, 2011.   (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Teachers, police officers, and scout leaders were among the 184 people arrested today as police busted what Europol is calling "probably the largest online pedophile network in the world." Some 230 children were rescued from people suspected of abusing them in more than 30 countries as a result of the three-year investigation. The ring was centered on a heavily encrypted Amsterdam-based online forum called boylover.net, which the AP reports has up to 70,000 members.

"Those who have been members of the site can expect a knock on the door in the very near future," said a British official. Europol's director said the website was intended as a discussion forum where pedophiles could "share their sexual interest in young boys," and that members used email and other electronic means to swap images and video of children being sexually abused. (More pedophile stories.)

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