Senior citizen among 13 men arrested under Op Pedo in six states - IGP

Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said the 74-year-old suspect and 12 others were arrested during a joint operation with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) in six states, namely Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Perak, Johor and Terengganu.

He said in the operation which began at 9pm, 18 teams comprising officers from the Sexual, Women and Children Investigation Division (D11), Technical Assistance Division (D6) and Bukit Aman Police Forensic Lab (D10) and the contingent, as well as MCMC officers inspected 18 premises in the six states.

"An inspection of various information communication technology (ICT) devices and equipment belonging to the 13 suspects revealed the existence of about 40,000 CSAM and adult pornographic materials," he said when contacted by Bernama today.

Apart from the discovery of the 40,000 CSAMs, Razarudin said the police also seized seven sets of computers, 11 mobile phones, nine routers, seven modems and one laptop, DVD and hard disk each.

"All the suspects were arrested under Section 10 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 and possession of obscene material under Section 292 of the Penal Code.

"Of the 13 suspects arrested, five would be remanded for four days, four remanded for three days and two remanded for one day with all remands starting today while the other two were granted police bail," he said.

He added that 13 investigation papers were opened for the offence of possession of CSAM under Section 10 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 and the offence of possession of pornographic material under Section 292 of the Penal Code.

He also advised the public, especially teenagers and children, to increase self-control, maintain moral boundaries and social manners online to avoid becoming victims of crime and report any online abuse to the authorities.

Meanwhile, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said in a Facebook post that swift and effective actions such as the integrated op are important to ensure the safety of children and combat the threat of crime that damages the community.

"I would like to congratulate the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), especially the D11 Division, for the successful implementation of Op Pedo.

"This operation focuses on efforts to eradicate online paedophilia activities and has involved collaboration with the MCMC. Thank you to all parties involved," she said.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the government needs to have a more advanced digital capacity to deal with an increase in such crime.

She said the capacities of all relevant agencies must be updated and upgraded for such purpose.

As a responsible government in charge, she said the MADANI government has brought several amendments to the act related to communications as well as the tabling of the Online Safety Bill 2024 which could help the authorities curb the heinous crime.

"Well done and thank you to the PDRM and the parties involved in Op Pedo who have succeeded in cracking down on sexual activities and sexual violence against children online," she said in a post on X.

Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh also expressed her appreciation to the D11 Division of the PDRM for the implementation of the operation in collaboration with MCMC.

"Adolescents and children need the aggressive synergy of government agencies to protect them. More joint ops like this please @fahmi_fadzil (Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil) @saifnasution (Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail)," she said in a post on X.

-- BERNAMA