Darwin man charged with child abuse material offences across two states following US tip off
A sting involving Australian Border Force, Australian Federal Police and NT Police has resulted in a man having his devices seized, luggage searched, and being hit with four charges across two states.
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A Darwin man has been charged with four offences in two states relating to the alleged possession and solicitation of child abuse material.
In a joint statement, the Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force said the 56-year-old man had been charged with two offences each in the Northern Territory and New South Wales.
In New South Wales, he faces charges of using a carriage service to solicit and access child abuse material, while in the NT he is charged with two counts of possessing and controlling child abuse material, obtained or accessed using a carriage service.
The man, who had been under investigation since November last year following a referral from the United States’ Homeland Security Investigations about an Australian allegedly producing and distributing child abuse material online, was arrested at Sydney Airport on February 16 after returning from an international flight.
According to the statement, ABF officers searched the man’s luggage after he was detained, with police alleging the search uncovered “child abuse material and messages about offending” on the man’s mobile device.
Simultaneous to the man’s return to Australia, officers from the NT Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team executed a search warrant at the man’s Darwin home.
“They seized electronic devices including a mobile phone, hard drive, laptops and tablet for forensic examination,” the statement read.
“Initial forensic analysis of the man’s electronic devices allegedly identified hundreds of child abuse images and videos.”
The man appeared in Darwin Local Court on Tuesday.
He is additionallu due to face Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on April 4.
Speaking generally, AFP Superintendent Gregory Davis said the AFP was committed to working with local and international law enforcement partners to protect children and identify those who tried to harm them, no matter where they were in the world.
“We are working closely with our partners to ensure we are finding offenders and bringing them before the courts,’’ he said.
“Child exploitation is not a victimless crime. Children are not commodities to be used for the abhorrent gratification of sexual predators.”
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Originally published as Darwin man charged with child abuse material offences across two states following US tip off
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