Op Pedo 3.0: Teacher, Lab Assistant Among 53 Arrested by Police

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 53 individuals, including eight children, were arrested in the nationwide Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM)-Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) Integrated Op Pedo 3.0.

Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Director Datuk M Kumar said those arrested comprised 51 males and two females aged between 13 and 56.

“The three-day operation, conducted from Sept 14 to 16, targeted 92 locations involving all 14 police contingents.

“Of the total, 52 raids resulted in arrests, while another 40 did not. A subsequent arrest brought the total number of individuals detained to 53,” he told a press conference today.

Also present was MCMC Chief Network Security Officer Datuk Dr Mohamed Sulaiman Sultan Suhaibuddeen.

Kumar said those arrested included a 24-year-old teacher in Pahang and a 44-year-old laboratory assistant in Terengganu, while the youngest individual detained was a 13-year-old girl.

A total of 95 items were also seized, comprising 90 digital devices, including mobile phones, computers, laptops, tablets, storage devices and routers or modems, as well as five sex toys.

Preliminary examinations of the seized devices uncovered 653,193 digital files, comprising 540,127 child sexual abuse material (CSAM) files and 113,066 adult pornography files.

Kumar said the operation was carried out based on information and intelligence gathered by the Malaysia Internet Crime Against Children (MICAC) Unit under the CID’s D11 Division, in collaboration with MCMC and through information sharing with enforcement agencies and strategic partners both locally and internationally.

“The information and intelligence were analysed to identify targets linked to CSAM activities before enforcement action was carried out simultaneously nationwide.

“The operation involved 406 officers and personnel, comprising 363 police officers and personnel as well as 43 MCMC officers who provided technical support,” he said.

Commenting on the modus operandi, Kumar said the activities detected included accessing, obtaining, downloading, possessing and storing CSAM through various digital platforms, including communication applications and online groups.

“The material was also stored in large quantities on digital devices for repeated access and use.

“Investigations also identified more complex activities involving the production and sale of such material, administration of online groups, as well as payment transactions through e-wallets, cryptocurrencies and PayPal,” he said.

He said the operation also uncovered the self-production of animated CSAM, which was subsequently sold online.

Kumar said the findings showed that the modus operandi had become increasingly complex, with technology being used not only to access and store such material but also to produce and commercialise sexual content involving children.

A total of 52 investigation papers were opened under the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, the Penal Code, the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and the Immigration Act 1959/63, based on the facts and evidence of each case.

As of yesterday, 23 of the 52 investigation papers, or 44 per cent, had resulted in charges being filed in court, while the remaining 29, or 56 per cent, were still under investigation.

Of the 23 investigation papers that had resulted in charges, 11 involved individuals who had already been sentenced.

Among the sentences imposed was eight months’ imprisonment and a RM5,000 fine for an offence under Section 10 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.

In addition, an offence under Section 5(1) of the Film Censorship Act 2002 resulted in a sentence of three months’ imprisonment and a RM25,000 fine.

Berita Harian