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CNN Live Today

Customs Announces Breakup of Child-Molesting and Pornography Ring

Aired August 09, 2002 - 11:59   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Up first, a crime ring targeting the most innocent. Last hour, the U.S. Customs Service announced the breakup of a child-molesting and pornography ring that operated over the Internet. What's most disturbing is who authorities say was behind it.
Let's get the details now from CNN's Jeanne Meserve.

Jeanne, this is an incredibly disturbing and unthinkable crime.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, because parents are suppose to protect their children, but in this case, they are alleged to have abused and exploiting them, taking photographs of the abuse and distributing them on the Internet.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT C. BONNER, U.S. CUSTOMS COMMISSIONER: In Operation Hamlet, dozens of children were molested and their images posted on the Internet. In this case, the normal safe harbor for children, which is their own parents, turned out to be these children's chamber of horrors.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MESERVE: Today there will be 20 arrests with the child molestation and pornography ring, 10 of them here in the U.S., in the states of California, Idaho, Nevada, Florida, New York, Washington, New Jersey, Michigan, South Carolina, Illinois and Texas.

According to the Customs Service, 45 children worldwide have been rescued from abuse, as a result of this investigation, 37 of those here in the U.S.

The problem began when investigators in Denmark got a tip from an organization called Save the Children. Authorities there arrested a Danish citizen who had abused his own 9-year-old daughter and distributed pictures. Investigators found on his computer names of other pedophiles, which led them to this web.

In January, U.S. Customs began its operation, and that month, the first arrests were made. Among those who were picked up, a child counselor, a photographer who used his business to produce child pornography, and according to Commissioner Bonner, in one case, members of the ring exchanged children to be abused and depicted, and in another instance, an abuser asked for an audiotape of a child crying as it was abused.

Although more than 100,000 Web sites are believed to be involved in child pornography in some way, the parent-child aspect of this ring is what is so shocking. In the words of Customs Commissioner Robert Bonner, "If this isn't unusual, God help us" -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: This is so incredibly sick, just to even think about these details now. Fifteen members were indicted. Are investigators saying here at this juncture that they believe that more arrests are imminent?

MESERVE: Commissioner Bonner was asked if there would be more arrests. He sort of danced around the questions, but I've heard from other sources that, yes, there may indeed be other arrests in this probe.

WHITFIELD: Thanks very much, Jeanne Meserve, from Washington.

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