Child Abuse Image Investigation Leads to 660 Arrests
NCA deputy director general Phil Gormley said the crackdown involved images accessed via the so-called “dark net”.
The “dark net” refers to content that does not appear in normal search engines and users often use virtual currencies to avoid detection. According to the Internet Watch Foundation, less than 1% of its content is hosted in the UK.
Mr Gormley said sex offenders should understand they cannot avoid detection while using the internet, even the dark net.
And he added: “Some of the people who start by accessing indecent images online go on to abuse children directly. So the operation is not only about catching people who have already offended - it is about influencing potential offenders before they cross that line.