Operation Artus

In early March the United States and 10 other countries began seizing computers and videos as part of an international raid to break up a child pornography ring. The investigation called Operation Artus begain in November 2001. Agents of the German national police discovered that a German man had been exchanging child pornography over the Internet. After being arrested the man provided nicknames of some other members of the group. In the United States the targets of the investigation included a UN military pilot, a nurse, priest and police officer. Search warrants have been issued in the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Japan, Finland, Austria and Sweden. Customs said that a common aim of members of this group was to find and exchange child pornography in DVD quality movie file format. As a requirement members had to offer new child pornography material to remain part of the group. Customs said that this Operation Artus is yet another example of how important international cooperation is to solving these international child pornography crimes.