Two Australian men have been arrested as part of a global investigation into the alleged production of AI-generated child abuse material.
The men, a 31-year-old from Cairns in Queensland and a 38-year-old from Toukley in New South Wales, were charged this week with allegedly possessing child abuse material in an operation spanning 19 countries.
The investigation started in Denmark when local authorities arrested a man allegedly producing and selling material through a subscription service.
Danish authorities allegedly uncovered 273 subscribers globally and tipped off the Australian Federal Police (AFP), leading to the two arrests this week.
More than 20 people have been arrested globally as the investigation continues.
AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Kurt Wesche said the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation had witnessed an increase in AI-generated child abuse material in the past 12 months.
‘It is getting harder for police to discern if an image shows a real child, and we are concerned AI-generated material diverts our investigative resources from finding real children who are being abused and at harm,’ he said.
‘Although the children depicted in this material are not real, these criminal networks are still involved in the sexual exploitation of children.
Pictured is one of the two Australian men charged with possessing child abuse material
Pictured is some of the electronic devices seized by ADF officers following search warrants
The AFP said the electronic devices would be analysed as part of the ongoing investigation
‘In Australia, it is a criminal offence to create, possess or share content that depicts the abuse of someone aged under 18; it is child abuse material irrespective of whether it is “real” or not.’
The Cairns man was charged with four counts of possessing child abuse material accessed or obtained using a carriage service and was bailed.
He is scheduled to appear in court on March 19.
The Toukley man was charged with possessing child abuse material accessed or obtained using a carriage service and using a carriage service to access child abuse material.
