Teenager arrested in connection with child abuse network

A 16-year-old teenager in Malmesbury, Western Cape, has been arrested on charges of accessing, possession, facilitation, and downloading of child sexual abuse material.

Police spokesperson Lt-Col Amanda van Wyk said the national serial and electronic crime investigations (SECI) team worked with international law enforcement agencies.

They acted on information that indicated a suspect linked to violent online networks commonly referred to as “764” was located in South Africa.

“The 764 networks are violent international online extremist networks associated with child exploitation. The perpetrators reportedly target, blackmail and coerce minors into online sexual abuse, torturing and murdering of animals and other forms of harmful criminal activity,” Van Wyk said.

“After extensive investigations, the national SECI team traced the teenager to an address in Malmesbury, where he was arrested in the act on Monday.”

A preliminary on-site analysis of the suspect’s electronic devices uncovered explicit images and videos depicting child sexual abuse and animal mutilation, said Van Wyk. The devices will undergo comprehensive forensic analysis to determine the full extent of the alleged offences.

The teenager is expected to appear before the Malmesbury magistrate’s court on Tuesday.

The possibility of additional offences relating to fraud and money laundering forms part of ongoing investigations.