POLICE officers in the Avon & Somerset and Dorset areas have been involved in an operation which identified more than 60 UK-based users of a Dark Web site hosting child sexual abuse material.

The users have been identified following work by the National Crime Agency as part of an investigation started by police in Germany into the site, Kidflix, which resembled a well-known video streaming service.

They identified 1,275 users from around the world who had either paid for access to material through crypto currency, or earned access through uploading their own material.

After receiving information from the German authorities in February, NCA officers identified 63 UK users who were active on the site and had used cryptocurrency to access CSA material.

They provided the intelligence to 28 UK police forces – including Avon & Somerset, Dorset and Hampshire – so action could be taken.

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To date, 30 people have been arrested in the UK and the Dark Web site has been taken down by the German authorities.

NCA senior manager, Neil Keeping, said: “With thanks to our law enforcement partners in Germany and Europol, a dangerous site hosting tens of thousands of child sexual abuse videos has been taken down.

“NCA intelligence officers worked quickly to identify the UK users of the site, providing a package of intelligence to forces across the country so arrests could be made and children could be safeguarded.

“Providing this global to local response is paramount in our role to protect children from child sexual abuse and criminals who seek out this content.

“We will continue to work with international law enforcement partners to disrupt the online platforms that operate on the dark web, purely for the sexual gratification of offenders, and ensure children are safeguarded from abuse.”