Dozens held in global swoop over AI-made abuse images

Two dozen people have been arrested for their role in a criminal group that distributed images generated by artificial intelligence of children being sexually abused, the European Union's police agency says.

The operation is one of the first involving AI-generated child abuse material, Europol said, adding there was a lack of national legislation surrounding the use of AI tools for this purpose.

The main suspect, a Danish citizen, ran an online platform where he distributed the AI-generated material he produced.

🚨 Europol has supported authorities from 19 countries in a large-scale hit against child sexual exploitation. The suspects were engaged in the distribution of images of minors fully generated by artificial intelligence. Read more ⤵️https://t.co/EauCSKvAnq pic.twitter.com/YZx8B4U4NV— Europol (@Europol) February 28, 2025

Users around the world paid a "symbolic online payment" to access the platform.

The operation entitled Operation Cumberland is ongoing, with authorities from 19 countries including Australia, New Zealand, Spain and the United Kingdom involved.

Most of the 25 arrests were carried out simultaneously on Wednesday in the operation led by Danish authorities, Europol said, without identifying the countries where the arrests took place.

More are expected in the coming weeks, it said.

Europol said that 33 house searches had been conducted, 273 suspects identified and 173 computers seized.

with DPA