64 Suspects Face 348 Charges in Ontario Child Exploitation Probe

Ontario Provincial Police have announced that 64 suspects are under investigation for a total of 348 charges related to child sexual exploitation. The arrests are part of a multi-jurisdictional investigation named Project Aquatic.

The project, initiated in February 2024, involved 129 separate investigations across Ontario focusing on online sexual abuse material. According to Det.-Sgt. Tim Brown, 34 child victims were identified, and another 30 children were safeguarded from potential harm.

The project, initiated in February 2024, involved 129 separate investigations across Ontario focusing on online sexual abuse material.

Over 600 digital devices were seized during the investigation, revealing a range of offenders, spanning from teenagers to senior citizens. One suspect, in possession of approximately 21 terabytes of child sexual abuse material, was among those arrested.

Toronto police reported that 13 of the suspects were apprehended in the city, facing a total of 69 criminal charges.

Det.-Sgt. Brown emphasized that child predators are not confined to dark corners of the internet but operate across various platforms where children are present.

Signy Arnason from the Canadian Centre for Child Protection highlighted the growing concern around online communities sharing child abuse material and encouraging harmful behavior. She emphasized the need for government action, stronger regulation, and increased responsibility from technology companies to protect children online.

Arnason stressed the urgency for proactive measures to prevent the spread of child sexual abuse material, including upload prevention, expedited removal, and proper moderation of online content.