At least 25 people have been arrested in a global operation for allegedly distributing child abuse images created using artificial intelligence (AI), the European Union's law enforcement agency Europol said.
The perpetrators caught in the operation were members of an organised crime group that produced and distributed entirely AI-generated child abuse images. Europol said this was one of the first operations involving entirely artificially generated child sexual abuse images.
The organization said that conducting the investigation has been extremely challenging due to the limitations of national laws.
Operation Cumberland:
The operation, known as "Operation Cumberland," was led by Danish law enforcement and involved authorities from at least 18 countries.
The arrests were made in a simultaneous operation on Wednesday, February 26. Europol said the investigation is still ongoing and more arrests could be made in the coming weeks.
So far:
- 272 suspects have been identified.
- 33 houses were searched.
- 173 electronic devices have been seized.
The main suspect is a Danish citizen, who was arrested in November 2024.
The spread of crime through AI
The Danish man ran an online platform where he distributed artificial child abuse images he had created himself.
With a small online payment, users worldwide could receive a password that would allow them to access the platform and view child abuse content.
Europol says online child abuse is a top priority for European Union law enforcement agencies, which are tackling the growing volume of illegal content.
Although no real children were abused in this specific case, Europol says that artificially created CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material) or images of child sexual abuse encourage the sexual objectification and exploitation of children.
Challenges and warnings of new technologies
Europol Executive Director Catherine de Bol said:
“These artificially created images are so easily created that individuals with criminal intent, even without technical skills, can produce them.”
He warned that law enforcement agencies need to develop new investigative methods and tools to combat this new type of crime.
Internet Watch Foundation research
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has warned that AI images created for child sexual abuse are spreading rapidly and are increasingly appearing on the open web.
Their 2023 study found:
- In just one month, 3,512 AI-generated child abuse images were found on a dark website.
- The number of images in the most serious category (Category A) has increased by 10% compared to the previous year.
Experts say AI-generated child abuse material looks realistic, making it difficult to distinguish between real and fabricated images.
Law enforcement agencies around the world are now becoming more proactive in responding to this new threat. According to Europol, international cooperation and technological advancements are essential to combat this type of crime.
