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Massive Nationwide Operation Targets Dark Web Child Abuse Material
French police have arrested 33 men across the country in a coordinated operation targeting individuals who downloaded a notorious child sexual abuse video created by Australian pedophile Peter Scully. The suspects, aged between 37 and 79, were taken into custody in multiple departments including Rhône, Bouches-du-Rhône, Seine-Maritime, Mayenne, Essonne, Val-d'Oise, and the Paris region, French media reported on June 24, 2026.
The arrests stem from the download of a video depicting the torture and rape of three children — two girls aged 11 and 12, and an 18-month-old infant — filmed by Scully in the Philippines in 2012. The material has circulated on the dark web for 14 years, according to investigators from France's Office for the Protection of Minors (OFMIN).
Operation Details and Detection Method
The downloads were detected using the Child Protection System (CPS), an American-developed investigative software provided free of charge to law enforcement agencies worldwide by the Child Rescue Coalition. The CPS technology allows authorities to track where predators are downloading and sharing explicit content, providing what the organization describes as 'the most comprehensive view of where predators around the world are downloading and sharing explicit content.'
A specialized police unit spent weeks preparing the operation, which culminated in simultaneous raids across France. The suspects now face prosecution for possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material, crimes punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of €75,000 under French law.
The operation highlights the growing international cooperation in combating online child exploitation. The fight against online child exploitation has become a priority for law enforcement agencies globally, with technology playing an increasingly central role in identifying offenders.
Who Is Peter Scully?
Peter Gerard Scully, born January 13, 1963, is an Australian convicted child sex offender and murderer currently serving a life sentence plus 129 years in the Philippines. After fleeing Melbourne in 2011 to avoid fraud charges over a real estate scheme that cost investors over A$2.68 million, Scully established a lucrative international child sexual abuse ring from the island of Mindanao.
Operating under the dark web site 'No Limits Fun' (NLF), Scully offered pay-per-view video streams of children being sexually abused and tortured, with access costing up to US$10,000. His most infamous production, 'Daisy's Destruction,' features the torture and rape of three girls, including an 18-month-old infant, committed by Scully and two Filipino female accomplices.
Scully was arrested in February 2015 in Malaybalay, Philippines, following an international manhunt. He was convicted in June 2018 of murdering a 12-year-old girl, human trafficking, and multiple counts of rape by sexual assault. In November 2022, he received an additional 129-year sentence. The Philippines Supreme Court upheld his life sentences in 2025, establishing a key legal precedent that explicit pornographic evidence is not required for human trafficking convictions involving minors.
Broader Context of French Anti-Pedophile Operations
This operation is part of a wider crackdown on child sexual abuse material networks in France. In May 2025, French authorities arrested 55 men aged 25 to 75 in a separate major operation targeting a pedophile network operating on the Telegram messaging service. That 10-month investigation involved infiltrating Telegram groups where suspects exchanged abuse material with an incarcerated child sex offender described as 'extremely dangerous.'
Telegram reported it had removed over 367,000 groups and channels related to child sexual abuse material in 2025 alone. The platform's founder, Pavel Durov, was detained in France in August 2024 on charges including complicity in the spread of child sexual abuse material.
The use of Telegram in child exploitation cases has raised significant concerns among law enforcement and child protection advocates about encrypted messaging platforms being exploited by predators.
International Cooperation and the Role of Technology
The Scully case itself has been a landmark example of international law enforcement collaboration. The Dutch National Child Exploitation Team was the first to open an investigation after discovering 'Daisy's Destruction,' triggering a global manhunt involving agencies from at least six countries. The case is considered a model for transnational cooperation on child exploitation.
Child Rescue Coalition's CPS technology has been linked to the rescue of nearly 3,000 children and more than 12,500 arrests worldwide. Carly Yoost, CEO and founder of the organization, noted that up to 85% of those who view child sexual abuse material are also hands-on abusers, underscoring the urgency of such investigative tools.
The impact of dark web monitoring on child safety continues to evolve as law enforcement agencies develop new methods to track offenders who believe they can operate anonymously.
FAQ
What is the Child Protection System (CPS)?
The Child Protection System is a technology developed by the Child Rescue Coalition that provides law enforcement agencies with tools to track where predators are downloading and sharing child sexual abuse material. It is offered free of charge to police worldwide.
What penalties do the suspects face in France?
Under French law, possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of €75,000.
How was the Peter Scully video detected after 14 years?
French authorities used the American-developed CPS software to detect downloads of the video, which has circulated on the dark web since 2012. The technology allows police to identify IP addresses and users accessing known illegal content.
What is Peter Scully's current status?
Peter Scully is serving a life sentence plus 129 years in a Philippine prison. His conviction was upheld by the Philippines Supreme Court in 2025.
How common are such operations in France?
France has conducted several large-scale operations against child sexual abuse networks. In May 2025, 55 men were arrested in a separate operation targeting a Telegram-based pedophile network, indicating an ongoing commitment to combating online child exploitation.
Sources
La Nouvelle République - Pédocriminalité en ligne
Wikipedia - Peter Scully
RNZ - 55 men arrested in France
Child Rescue Coalition - Law Enforcement
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