A wide-scale investigation into online child sexual exploitation has led to 26 arrests across Quebec this week, provincial police said Friday.
The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) said the suspects — all male, ranging in age from 17 to 84 years old — were arrested between Nov. 27 and 30.
The suspects appeared at their local courthouses, where they face charges related to the production, possession and distribution of and access to child pornography, according to police.
The provincewide police operation netted arrests in several regions and major cities, including Montreal, Gatineau, Sherbrooke and Quebec City.
The SQ worked with local police departments across Quebec to lead the sweeping raids this week. The police departments in Saint-Jérôme, Terrebonne, Sherbrooke, Repentigny, St-Jean-sur-Richelieu and Trois-Rivières were also called upon to mobilize 300 police officers and civilians.
The raids unfolded at the suspects’ homes and computer equipment was seized for further investigation, according to police.
The investigation comes as concurrent investigations into child sexual exploitation material were also conducted in New Brunswick and Ontario by the Ontario Provincial Police and the RCMP.
Any information about online child sexual exploitation can be reported to Cybertip.ca or the crime information hotline by calling 1-800-659-4264.