A sickening dark web site named ‘Kidflix’ has been taken offline following a major operation involving Police Scotland.
German cops started an investigation into the platform, which was created for the sole purpose of sexually exploiting children, earlier this year. They identified 1,275 users from across the globe who had either paid for access to the disturbing material through crypto currency or earned access through uploading their own material, where they would earn site specific credits.
These credits would allow users access to further child abuse imagery. After receiving information from the German authorities in February, officers at the National Crime Agency were able to identify 63 users in the UK.
The Record understood a number of these users were based in Scotland, although the exact figure is currently unknown. British users of the site had used cryptocurrency to view and download the sickening material.
To date, 30 people have been arrested in the UK as part of the multi-agency operation. The site, which amassed nearly two million users, has since been removed by German authorities.
NCA senior manager Neil Keeping said: “With thanks to our law enforcement partners in Germany and Europol, a dangerous site hosting tens of thousands of child sexual abuse videos has been taken down. NCA intelligence officers worked quickly to identify the UK users of the site, providing a package of intelligence to forces across the country so arrests could be made and children could be safeguarded.
“Providing this global to local response is paramount in our role to protect children from child sexual abuse and criminals who seek out this content. We will continue to work with international law enforcement partners to disrupt the online platforms that operate on the dark web, purely for the sexual gratification of offenders, and ensure children are safeguarded from abuse.”
The Record has approached Police Scotland for comment.