The AFP has played a key role in a landmark international operation targeting perpetrators of online sextortion, which resulted in the arrest of 22 suspects in Nigeria.
Operation Artemis was a joint operation led by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation in partnership with the AFP, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. It focused on dismantling an organised criminal network allegedly responsible for a wave of online sextortion crimes which targeted thousands of teenagers globally.
Those arrested as part of this operation include two Nigerian-based offenders linked to the suicide of a 16-year-old child in New South Wales in 2023.
The network's scheme, which coerced victims into sharing sexually explicit images before threatening to distribute those images unless payment was made, had devastating consequences.
In the United States alone, more than 20 teenage suicides have been linked to sextortion-related cases since 2021. While many victims were based in North America, the ripple effects of the offending extended to Australia and other nations.
During the operation, two AFP investigators deployed in Nigeria were able to trace online activity, link digital evidence to suspects, and assist in the identification of both perpetrators and victims.
Investigators from the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) also provided expert analysis on data seized by foreign law enforcement and supported processes to avoid overlap with local investigations.
Their efforts created a measurable result locally - in the 2023-2024 financial year, the ACCCE received a total of 58,503 reports of online child exploitation, including 1554 sextortion-related reports. These figures reflect the growing sophistication and volume of online abuse attempts targeting Australian children.
Since the successful conclusion of the arrest phase of Operation Artemis in early 2023, the AFP observed an immediate reduction in sextortion-related reports. The targeting of Australian children by offenders online remains ongoing however, and the ACCCE continues to receive reports of sextortion from members of the community.
AFP Acting Commander Ben Moses, who leads the ACCCE, described the outcome as a powerful example of what could be achieved through international cooperation.
"This global operation sends a clear message to those who exploit children online. Law enforcement is united and determined to find you - no matter where you hide," Acting Commander Moses said.
"These crimes are calculated and devastating, often pushing vulnerable young people into extreme distress. Thanks to the coordinated action of our partners, we achieved meaningful results including an immediate and significant reduction in sextortion reports across Australia."
While a reduction in reports is encouraging, the AFP warns the risks to children and young people remain and the community should be vigilant about online safety.
The AFP continues to work with state and territory police to support victims of sextortion and other malicious online activity. Victim support includes referrals to specialist mental health services, as well as collaboration with online platforms to have harmful content removed.
The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping online child sexual exploitation, and the ACCCE is driving a collaborative national approach to combatting child abuse.
The ACCCE brings together specialist expertise and skills in a central hub, supporting investigations into online child sexual exploitation and developing prevention strategies focused on creating a safer online environment.
The AFP-led ThinkUKnow program has developed the online blackmail and sexual extortion response kit aimed at young people, aged 13 to 17, and is available from the ThinkUKnow and ACCCE websites.
The ACCCE has also created a dedicated sextortion help page with resources and information on how to report sextortion.
Members of the public who have information about people involved in online child sexual exploitation are urged to contact the ACCCE. If you know abuse is happening right now, or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000.
If you, or someone you know, is impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation, support services are available.
