A recent international operation coordinated by European He inflicted a very hard blow to the computer crime linked to sexual exploitation of minors. The investigation, called “Stream”led to Kidflix dismantlingone of the largest and most aberrant platforms of online child pornographyactive in dark web.
The platform, created in 2021, counted over 1.8 million users and offered streaming and on-demand content, accessible via cryptocurrencies. Thanks to the collaboration between law enforcement of 35 countrieshave been about 1,400 suspects identifiedwith 79 arrests and the rescue of 39 minors.
The numbers are chilling: among the seized materials they appear 3,000 electronic devices and a gruesome archive of Over 91,000 videos unique. To make the story even more disturbing is the existence of a site called “Wikiped”structured as a sort of crime encyclopediaeven containing a pedophile manual.
4 arrests in Italy
In Italy The investigation was conducted under the coordination of the District Prosecutor of Naples and led to the arrest of Four menwith 15 people investigated. The disputed crimes include the possession of child pornography and active participation on the Kidflix platform, identified thanks to the analysis of blockchain transactions. Digital wallets and devices containing were seized Tens of thousands of illegal files.
The operations have extended throughout the national territory, involving different regions including Lombardy, Lazio, Piedmont, Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Puglia, Veneto and Sardinia. Among the people involved are individuals belonging to various social and professional bandsincluding a lawyer, employees and freelancers.
The largest operation ever conducted
According to Europol, it is the bigger operation ever conducted in the fight against online pedocrats. The director of the agency, Catherine de Bolle, reiterated that it is not a mere technological problem, but of a serious human and social threat, underlining that Behind each file there is a real victimoften innocent children.
Kidflix’s closure is a significant victory, but also an alarm bell: the Fight against online crime It must remain priority to protect the most vulnerable generations. The sexual exploitation of minors is no longer just a horrible act, but has also become a gain toola submerged “industry” that uses digital technologies, streaming, cryptocurrencies and transnational communication to spread rapidly and without borders.
A reflection must also be made on the impressive numbers found that cannot exempt us from thinking about the enormous proportions of this phenomenon that involves those who cannot defend themselves. These numbers are not cold investigative data: they are ruined livesI am brokenthey are the symbol of an urgency that we can no longer ignore.
