Just 24 hours after RCMP announced new charges against an accused Surrey, B.C., child pornographer, police on Vancouver Island say they've shut down a kiddie porn operation based out of an apartment in the northern city of Port McNeill.
Following up a tip Tuesday from the National Child Exploitation Centre, RCMP raided a residence believed to be the point of origin for the distribution and possession of child porn images Wednesday.
A 56-year-old man has been arrested and faces charges of possessing and distributing child pornography. More charges could be possible once seized computer equipment is examined further, RCMP say.
The suspect has been released from custody until his next court appearance May 11. He is prohibited from using the internet, possessing computer equipment capable of accessing the internet and being near children under the age of 14 without a responsible adult present.
He was not previously known to police.
At this time, it is not believed the children in the images gathered from the apartment are local.
On Wednesday, police announced eight additional child porn and sex charges against a 36-year-old Surrey man linked to an international child pornography distribution ring. He now faces 16 charges.
The case involves seven B.C. children, as well as one in Ontario and one in the U.S. All of the victims are between five to 11-years-old, and knew the accused, police say.
Cpl. Darren Lagan told ctvbc.ca it is often difficult to track child pornographers because they fly under the radar and commit crimes from the privacy of their own homes.
"This isn't the kind of thing that is a perpetrator in a park or a nightclub or a public space," he said. "It's behind closed doors and that's one of the challenges the police have to catch these and bring them before the courts."
Child pornographers are people you may not expect, says University of British Columbia child pornography expert Benjamin Perrin.
"Convicted sex offenders who trade their images and videos online with each other -- 30 per cent of them live in homes where there are minor children there. And at least 50 per cent of them work or have close contact with children."
Sgt. Bev Csikos of the RCMP Integrated Child Exploitation Unit says it is the predators need for pornography that often makes them easy to pinpoint – but people find new ways to hide.
"These type of offender will never let their collection go. It's like how you need air they need these images and videos," she said.
"Everyday is an evolving technical aspect for us to understand and find ways in that we never found in before."
Both experts and investigators agree talking to children is vital to protecting them.
"Make an environment where it's safe to talk about it," Csikos said. "If they have a secret it's okay to tell."
With files from CTV British Columbia's Maria Weisgarber
