Maltese police in EU anti-child abuse operation

The Cyber-crime unit of the Maltese police force has joined forces with their counterparts from several other EU member states in a joint operation to clamp down on people sharing child pornography and other child abuse content online.

The Maltese police force said in a statement that people using peer-to-peer networks are now receiving messages warning them that it is a crime to download Internet content that depicts child abuse. Videos and pictures with these warning messages are being spread online through computers operated by European police forces.

“In recent years, police conducted several investigations that culminated in the identification, arrest and arraignment of people sharing such content,” the police said. “Through this initiative, the police is sending a message that we were, are and will continue surveying these networks to ensure that lawbreakers face justice.”

The operation is being conducted with the support of Europol, the EU’s police agency.