Sixty-six Australians are among more than 300 people arrested after Canadian authorities smashed what they say is one of the worst child sex abuse rings they have seen.
Canadian police say their investigation into a multi-million-dollar child sex abuse video website has led to the arrests of nearly 350 people internationally, including teachers, police officers, doctors and priests.
A total of 386 victims of the ring were rescued from harm worldwide, including six in Australia - five in Western Australia, and one in the ACT.
"It is alleged that officers located hundreds of thousands of images detailing horrific acts against young children, some of the worst that they have ever viewed," Toronto police spokeswoman Joanna Beaven-Desjardins said.
Arrests began in August during the Australian-based component of the operation, known as Operation Thunderer, with those charged facing a combined 399 charges of child exploitation offences.
The Australian suspects in the operation are aged between 25 and 72 and have been charged with a range of offences including accessing, possessing, producing and distributing online child exploitation material.They include a Catholic priest, a former priest and two teachers, all from New South Wales. But Queensland is the state with the largest number of suspects, with 33 people facing charges.
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