“Armageddon” operation in Serbia targets child pornography network

Members of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Serbia, the Technical Administration, and the High-Tech Crime Suppression Service, in continuation of the “Armageddon” operation, in cooperation with the Special Department for Combating High-Tech Crime of the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade, the Criminal Police Administration, and police departments in Belgrade, Sombor, Niš, and Novi Sad, have arrested seven people on suspicion of committing the criminal offense of displaying, obtaining, and possessing pornographic material and exploiting a minor for pornography.

The suspects — B. F. (1969), P. M. (2002), D. N. (1988), B. R. (1954), S. S. (1962), P. S. (1962), and M. O. (1982) — are suspected of, over a longer period of time, downloading, storing, and sharing material created through the sexual exploitation of children via the Dark Web, CE Report informs via the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Serbia.

During searches of the suspects’ homes, several gigabytes of photos and videos were found on electronic devices, showing serious abuse of children, mostly aged between 4 and 14, categorized by age, gender, and other parameters.

The suspects were detained for up to 48 hours and will be brought, along with criminal charges, before the competent prosecutor’s office.

The “Armagedon” operation represents a clear message that the Ministry of Internal Affairs will not tolerate any form of child exploitation and that the digital space is not an anonymous refuge for perpetrators of such crimes.

The High-Tech Crime Suppression Service continues intensive activities to identify and prosecute all persons involved in criminal acts committed against minors.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs also urges parents to increase supervision of children’s online activities and to report any suspicion of abuse to the competent authorities.

Photo: Ministry of Internal Affairs of Serbia