Thirteen Australian children have been removed from harm as part of an investigation into an online child abuse network.
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The AFP has charged 19 men after the investigation was sparked by the murder of two FBI agents in the US in 2021.
Two of the men have been sentenced and others remain before the courts.
The FBI tipped off the AFP about Australian members of a network allegedly sharing child abuse material on the dark web.
The AFP believe some alleged members had been committing the offences for more than 10 years and used encryption in an attempt to avoid detection.
In the ACT, five children have been removed from harm and two alleged offenders are facing 54 charges.
A public servant living in the ACT pleaded guilty to 24 charges in the Supreme Court and was jailed for 14 years and five months in June 2023.
Two children were also rescued in NSW, four in Queensland and two in South Australia.
The AFP will allege some of the children had been directly abused and others were removed as a safety precaution.
AFP Commander Helen Schneider said officers never gave up on identifying children who were being sexually assaulted, or who were living with someone sharing child abuse material.
"Viewing, distributing or producing child abuse material is a horrific crime, and the lengths that these alleged offenders went to in order to avoid detection makes them especially dangerous - the longer they avoid detection the longer they can perpetuate the cycle of abuse," Commander Schneider said.
IN OTHER NEWS:
The related FBI investigation has led to 79 people being arrested for their alleged involvement in the network.
FBI special agents Daniel Alfin and Laura Schwartzenberger were shot dead by an offender during a search as part of a related investigation.
Their murder led to the FBI launching an international operation targeting offenders on the platform.
Members of the public who have information about people involved in child abuse are urged to contact the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation at www.accce.gov.au/report
If you know abuse is happening right now or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000.
