Nearly 350 charges have been laid in a provincewide online child exploitation investigation led by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
On Wednesday, the OPP-led Provincial Strategy to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on the Internet announced the results of Project Aquatic, which included a total of 129 investigations.
The investigations involved 27 Ontario police services and ran from Feb. 19 to 29, with investigators identifying and arresting those making, possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material.
“The goal was clear, to identify victims and to apprehend individuals who make access to and distribute child sexual abuse material,” Det. Staff Sgt. Tim Brown said in a press conference.
As a result, 34 victims were identified, 60 children were safeguarded, 64 people were charged, 348 charges were laid and 607 electronic devices were seized.
“Through the Provincial ICE (Internet Child Exploitation) Strategy, we stand together in supporting victims, preventing victimization, and dismantling predatory activities. We are unrelenting in our mission to safeguard children and hold perpetrators accountable,” OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique said in a statement.
The OPP said during the probe, one individual set up a meeting with undercover investigators to meet with a child in real life for a sexual purpose. In addition, another suspect was in possession of roughly 21 terabytes of data containing child sexual abuse material.
For context, Brown said that one terabyte can store up to 250,000 photos or 500 hours of video.
“For every device seized, an officer or analyst examines each photo and video, which can take several weeks,” he added.
In 2023, the OPP said 8,638 child exploitation investigations were completed and between 2006 and 2023, 82,082 investigations were completed by the Provincial ICE Strategy’s 27 police services.
“Within that period, 29,025 charges were laid against 7,493 people. These completed investigations demonstrate the scope of the issue regarding child sexual abuse material, which remains a pervasive safety issue that is often unseen by many members of the public,” police said in a statement.
The public can learn more about how to keep children safe at Canadian Centre for Child Protection. Anyone with information about any child exploitation instances is being asked to contact police or cybertip.ca.
