<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>Warning: This story contains references to child sexual assault.</span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>An online group in which more than 65,000 images of child abuse material were shared has been shut down, resulting in the arrest of 26 </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/victoria" rel="" target="_blank" title="Victorian"><span>Victorian</span></a><span> men.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In an investigation lasting over two years, </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/police" rel="" target="_blank" title="police"><span>police</span></a><span> allege the men were part of a group using encrypted messaging to share text and image-based material, as well as sourcing children to sexually abuse.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>JUST IN:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/us-israel-attack-iran-australia-considers-military-aid-for-gulf-nations/09a86b46-9a5f-4207-bba4-180c5b5e7699" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Foreign Minister Penny Wong says Australia considering military aid for Gulf states</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In a statement released this morning, the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/australia" rel="" target="_blank" title="Australian"><span>Australian</span></a><span> Federal Police and </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/victoria-police" rel="" target="_blank" title="Victoria Police"><span>Victoria Police</span></a><span> claimed images and videos depicted the sexual abuse, torture and murder of infants and young children, as well as bestiality.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>No newly generated material involving Australian children was identified during the investigation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Several of the men have already been charged, convicted and imprisoned, while others remain before the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/courts" rel="" target="_blank" title="courts"><span>courts</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/two-dozen-men-charged-with-more-than-1000-child-abuse-material-offences-australia-victoria/270772a1-4291-49cc-83e2-ee54db76daca" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>However, police could only go public with the findings now as the investigation using a covert operation has concluded.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In addition to the tens of thousands of photos recovered, police also found over 300 hours of child abuse videos.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>AFP Detective Superintendent Bernard Geason said the investigation uncovered a "sad reality" lurking in corners of the online world.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Our society has many individuals who will exploit children for their own perverse desires," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>WATCH:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-attack-iran-dubai-airport-drone-attack/cd39db6a-545c-4830-ad91-7bad5641ac4b" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>High-rise tower at Dubai Marina hit by drone as debris kills taxi driver</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The contents of this chat group are among the worst of the worst. This investigation has stopped people sharing violent abuse material and disrupted an online market of misery. But there is a tidal wave of this material on the internet and constant demands for more."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The 26 men who were charged were located in Victoria, and most were not previously known to police.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/melbourne" rel="" target="_blank" title="Melbourne"><span>Melbourne</span></a><span> man, 46, was charged with creating and administering a group on the encrypted messaging application for the sharing of child abuse material.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment in September 2024.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A Central Victoria man was charged with more than 250 offences relating to transmitting, accessing, producing and soliciting child abuse material through various individuals he met in the group.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He was sentenced to five years' imprisonment at the end of last year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>UPDATE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/two-men-dead-after-surf-rescue-on-nsw-central-coast/4f8698b8-8450-4175-bf8f-5bc5219edd0d" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Two fishermen dead after being pulled from surf on NSW Central Coast</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Detective Superintendent Tim McKinney from Victoria Police said some of the material was among the worst police had ever seen.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Our investigators faced the distressing task of combing through 300+ hours of material," he said</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There were also written conversations where these participants expressed their desire to find children and infants in real life."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>AFP Detective Acting Inspector Scott Amjah said he was stunned by the "volume and depravity" of the material his team uncovered during the investigation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"[It] will stay with all of us," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I think members of the public would be absolutely horrified by the content of the material that is circulated online these days.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>Support is available from the</span></strong><span> </span><strong><span>National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service</span></strong><span> </span><strong><span>at</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.1800respect.org.au/" title="https://www.1800respect.org.au/"><strong><span>1800RESPECT (1800 737 732)</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></strong></em></li><li><em><strong><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Apple</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>ticking this box here</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Sign up to</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></strong></em></a></li></ul></div></div>