S'pore police arrest 11 men, aged between 22 & 44, for online child sexual exploitation activities

A total of 326 people were jointly arrested between Mar. 23, 2026 and Apr. 17, 2026 in a cross border operation targeting online child sexual exploitation (OCSE) activities.

The four-week operation was conducted by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in collaboration with the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF), Japan National Police Agency (JNPA), Korean National Police Agency (KNPA), Royal Malaysia Police (RMP), Royal Thai Police (RTP) and Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF).

Another 119 persons are assisting with police investigations, an Apr. 28, 2026, police news release noted, adding that the 445 arrested and investigated persons comprise 430 men and 15 women, aged between 12 and 72.

Operation

This comes after officers from the Specialised Crime Branch of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), in collaboration with the aforementioned six police forces, conducted raids at 382 locations in Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand and Brunei.

The raids saw electronic devices, including 116 computers, 340 handphones, 25 tablets, 140 storage devices and 16 routers, being seized, along with child sexual abuse materials and obscene materials.

According to the release, such offences are often facilitated through digital platforms and cross-border financial channels.

Close partnership with industry partners is therefore critical, the release noted, adding that this operation saw SPF working closely with technology companies, financial institutions, and NGOs to detect, disrupt and prevent OCSE.

Preliminary investigations

According to the release, of the 326 persons arrested, 11 men, aged between 22 and 44, were arrested in Singapore, and an additional 16 persons are assisting with investigations for their suspected involvement in the following offences:

• Producing, possessing, gaining access and distributing child sexual abuse

  materials under Sections 377BG to 377BK of the Penal Code 1871 (PC)

• Sexual communication with a minor under Section 376EB PC
• Offences relating to commercial sex with minors under Section 376B PC
• Threatening to distribute intimate image or recording under Section 377BE PC
• Transmission and sale of obscene materials under Section 292(1)(a) PC
• Possession of obscene films under Section 30 of the Films Act 1981.

Preliminary investigations revealed that eight of these individuals had knowingly accessed, downloaded and possessed child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) through online messaging platforms and peer-to-peer (P2P) services, the release stated.

In one case, following enforcement by the RMP in Malaysia, information was shared with the SPF regarding a person allegedly selling obscene materials to individuals in Singapore.

Acting on the information, the SPF investigated two persons, aged 26 and 28, for making cross-border payments to access such materials through a Telegram channel, according to the release.

Another case saw two victims sexually exploited by a foreign offender through an online platform.

The case surfaced through a referral from an NGO, and the SPF worked closely with foreign law enforcement partners to identify the offender, who was arrested on Mar. 27, 2026.

His devices were found to contain materials involving the victims, as well as images of another potential victim, the release stated.

Investigations are ongoing.

Penalties

The release noted that according to Section 377BK(1) of the Penal Code 1871, any person who has in possession, or has gained access to, child abuse material, and knows or has reason to believe that the material is child abuse material, shall be guilty of an offence and if convicted, shall be punished with jail for a term which may extend to five years, and shall also be liable to a fine or caning.

According to Section 377BI(1) of the Penal Code 1871, any person who distributes, sells, offers for sale, or possesses child abuse material for the purpose of distribution or sale, and knows or has reason to believe that the material is child abuse material, shall be guilty of an offence and if convicted, shall be punished with jail for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to a fine or caning.

According to Section 292(1)(a) of the Penal Code 1871, any person who sells, distributes, transmits, or possesses for the purpose of distribution any obscene material shall be punished with jail for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine, or with both.