Online child sexual predator arrested in Springs
Three men were arrested in a simultaneous takedown operation in the past week with charges relating to child pornography.
The SAPS and the Serial and Electronic Crime Investigations (SECI) Unit, in collaboration with the USA Department of Homeland Security, recently arrested three online child sexual predators, one of whom is from Springs.
The trio was arrested in Gauteng in a simultaneous takedown operation in the past week, relating to several suspects identified as South African users involved in the possession, distribution, manufacturing, accessing and downloading of child pornography.
Members of the SECI at their head office and in Gauteng conducted preliminary investigations on the users and various provinces that were identified in which the suspects reside.
After several months of investigation and planning by SECI, they identified perpetrators in Gauteng and planned a joint operation.
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In Springs, the police arrested a 63-year-old male British citizen who was in the country illegally.
The suspect faces offences related to bestiality.
Other offences he is accused of are related to child pornography such as possession, distribution, accessing, downloading, facilitating, viewing, facilitating the distribution and making available child pornography, exposure of a child to adult and child pornography and the grooming of a child.
The second and third suspects, 43-year-old South African men, were arrested in Benoni and Krugersdorp respectively.
These suspects also face offences relating to child pornography such as possession, distribution, accessing, downloading, facilitating, viewing and facilitating the distribution of making child pornography available in their own right.
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As a result of these operations, three South African children used during the commission of the above offences were identified and they saved a dog. The operations will continue throughout the country to unravel a network of child sexual predators.
The three men appeared before various courts including Springs, Benoni and Krugersdorp Magistrates Courts on November 13. Their cases were postponed for further investigation and bail applications.
• SECI is a unit within the SAPS detectives divisions under the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Investigations (FCS) unit.
The unit members are responsible for investigating, tracing and apprehending serial rapists and electronic crimes relating to online child sexual exploitation.
