Ontario Child Exploitation Investigation Results in 64 Charges

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) announced a significant breakthrough in a province-wide child exploitation investigation, codenamed Project Aquatic, resulting in 64 individuals being charged and 34 child victims being identified. An additional 30 children were safeguarded during the operation, which saw collaboration among 27 police forces across Ontario. The charges include the making, possessing, and distributing of child sexual abuse material.

OPP Det. Sgt. Tim Brown detailed one particular case of luring where an individual engaged with an undercover officer online and expressed intentions to meet a child for sexual purposes. Another disturbing discovery involved an individual in possession of about 21 terabytes of data, which included child sexual abuse material stored on various devices and hard drives. To put the magnitude into context, Brown explained that one terabyte could store up to 250,000 photos or 500 hours of video. The meticulous process of examining each seized photo and video is timeconsuming and challenging, particularly as the storage capacity of devices continues to grow, extending the time needed for investigations. Brown highlighted the evolving complexity of tracking predators due to the use of sophisticated tools such as encryption, dark web activities, and AI-generated images, complicating the task of distinguishing between real and synthetic victims.

The investigation led to more than 348 charges being laid, and 607 electronic devices were seized. Those charged range across all ages, from teenagers to senior citizens, with some already out on bail for other offenses. Victims identified in these investigations range from infants to teenagers, underscoring the pervasive and indiscriminate nature of this crime.

Since the inception of the Provincial ICE strategy in 2006, focused on internet child exploitation and protecting children from online predators, over 29,000 charges have been laid through tens of thousands of investigations, and almost 4,000 children have been identified and protected.

Signy Arnason, associate director of the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, commented on the troubling growth of online networks where adults with a sexual interest in children share abusive material and tactics. These communities not only distribute child sexual abuse material but also provide support and encouragement to each other, including sharing “how-to manuals.” Arnason emphasized that such environments, especially prevalent on the dark web, significantly contribute to what she described as an epidemic-sized issue. Last year alone, the Canadian Centre for Child Protection received almost 30,000 reports through Canada’s national tip line, cybertip.ca, aimed at combating online sexual exploitation and abuse of children, with 23 percent of these reports originating from Ontario. This alarming statistic highlights the urgent need for continued vigilance and coordinated action to combat child exploitation effectively.