55 men arrested in France for viewing and distributing child pornography

In France, 55 men have been arrested this week in an investigation into child pornography. They are suspected of possessing, distributing, and viewing images of children under the age of 10.

The arrests are the result of a ten-month undercover police investigation, reports French broadcaster Franceinfo. The images were shared via the messaging app Telegram, where thousands of messages containing pedophilic content were exchanged.

The suspects were arrested in 42 departments across France. According to French police, the men range in age from 25 to 75 and come from various backgrounds, including a priest, an ambulance driver, a grandfather, and a music teacher.

Telegram remains a preferred platform for pedophiles, according to the operational director of the police unit conducting the investigation. While progress has been made in cooperation with the platform to combat abuse, the director criticized Telegram for barely meeting its legal obligations.

French authorities have long viewed Telegram as a haven for criminals, including drug traffickers and child abusers. Last year, Telegram's CEO Pavel Durov was arrested in France for alleged complicity in criminal activities.