Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry announced on Tuesday that the Pakistan government had put an end to an international network of child exploitation that operated out of a so-called gaming club in Muzaffarabad. The network involved luring, abusing, and filming children between the ages of six and ten in order to sell their videos on the dark web.
The minister stated the gang mostly targeted youngsters from low-income households during a press briefing with Dr. Waqaruddin Syed, director general of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).
Two days ago, NCCIA conducted an operation with assistance from other law enforcement agencies that resulted in the recovery of ten children and the arrest of two suspects, Muhammad Junaid and Muhammad Irfan. Four additional people were being sought, including the suspected ringleader, Reinz Andreas, a German national.
Inside the alleged gaming center, which was equipped with studio-caliber cameras and live-streaming capabilities, the illicit acts were carried out.
Mr. Chaudhry stated that the movies were created under strict supervision and sold on the dark web. He also mentioned that the bust was based on information from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), a US-based organization, and that it took place after a five-hour operation. According to him, the network is thought to have impacted 50 children thus far, and some of their relatives may have participated in the abuse. Legal action has been taken against all parties, he noted.
The minister also stated that the Child Protection Department had received six of the rescued children. He claimed that after being lured in with meagre sums of money, the impoverished kids were blackmailed into carrying on with the harmful practices.
Court procedures have started after authorities retrieved two cell phones that contained incriminating evidence. On Monday, the accused were placed in physical remand for 11 days by the local court. Four further suspects are being sought, including Andreas (with Interpol’s assistance) and three local suspects, Adnan, Irfan, and Ismail, who all reside in Chak No. 143/ML. The court has declared them proclaimed offenders.
According to the Pakistani Newspaper, Dawn, Andreas arrived in Pakistan on April 7 and departed on April 28 after spending time at Hotel One Multan and Junaid’s home. The defendants shot recordings in a secret room, tricked children into engaging in lewd behavior, and then sold the footage on the dark web for between $100 and $500 each.
Hundreds of movies were retrieved from the studio, according to Dr. Waqaruddin, director general of the NCCIA. Many of these videos were already being shared via encrypted applications like Telegram and WhatsApp before being sold on the dark web.
“This is a significant innovation. It’s the first time that Pakistan has seen the exposure and disruption of such a sizable, well-organized global network,” he said. “To find and apprehend the foreign suspects, we are collaborating closely with Interpol and German authorities.”
The question how a foreign national came into Pakistan and got to a rural area and was emboldened enough to organize child exploitation ring, in the first place, still remains unanswered.
