A man is due to appear in court later this month after being charged by Strike Force Trawler investigators over the alleged transmission of child exploitation material, NSW Police say.
Detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU) conduct ongoing investigations into the sexual abuse and exploitation of children facilitated through the internet and related telecommunications devices under Strike Force Trawler.
In February 2017, strike force detectives commenced an investigation after receiving reports of graphic online discussions about child abuse.
Police will allege in court the man believed he was speaking to a father who had access to young children, and engaged in sexually-explicit conversations about the children and discussed the possibility of meeting with them for sexual activity.
Following extensive investigations, Strike Force Trawler investigators arrested a 33-year-old man at a business in Sydney’s CBD about 10.35am yesterday (Tuesday 6 March 2018).
The man was taken to Sydney City Police Station and charged with using a carriage service for child pornography.
He was granted strict conditional bail and is due to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday 28 March 2018.
Shortly after the arrest, detectives conducted a search at a home at Potts Point where they seized electronic storage devices.
Inquiries are continuing.
Regular covert online investigations are conducted by the CEIU, and police in NSW work closely with their law-enforcement colleagues both interstate and overseas.
Anyone with information about internet predators should call Crime Stoppers.
