German law enforcement has busted what they described as "one of the world's biggest child pornography platforms" on the dark net, a section of the global network that is not regularly accessible and features increased anonymity. The nation's police have arrested two administrators and one of the 400,000 registered users of the "Boystown" platform. One more administrator was also arrested in Paraguay and Berlin is currently working on his extradition.
The website itself was also permanently shut down.
The country's law enforcement searched seven buildings as part of an investigation into the platform's activities and found numerous "images of the most severe sexual abuse of toddlers" as well as similar video material. The dark net website allowed its users to exchange illegal pornographic content involving underage individuals. Its administrators additionally instructed users how to stay anonymous and avoid being caught by the authorities.
International Effort
Berlin's efforts at taking down the international child pornography website would not have been successful if not for the help they received from law enforcement in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the US, as well as Europol, an official statement read. In addition, Paraguayan authorities arrested one of the site's administrators on their soil.
German authorities did not reveal the names of those arrested in connection with the case, just saying that all four were German nationals aged between 40 and 64.
Interior Minister Horst Seehofer hailed the international effort aimed at taking down "Boystown" and urged to continue working on such issues.
"This investigative success has a clear message: Those who assault the weakest aren't safe anywhere. That's what investigators work for day and night, online and offline, globally. We'll do everything within our power to protect kids from these disgusting crimes", Seehofer said.
