Eight arrested in connection with international child pornography ring

SANTIAGO.- Eight suspects accused of storing and distributing child pornography materials will be arraigned this afternoon following what is now known as the "Carrusel 2" operation.

The investigation began in September of 2008, when the Brazilian National Police Force alerted the Chilean Bureau of Police Investigations (PDI) about the existence of an international storage network for the materials, which originated in Spain.

According to sources from the South Metropolitan Public Prosecutor's Office, police have raided 12 homes in Santiago, in addition to others within the regions.

In the capital city, personnel belonging to the Cybercrimes Brigade of the PDI carried out operations in the municipalities of Peñalolén, Maipú, San Bernardo, La Reina, La Florida, Providencia, Quilicura, Huechuraba and Lo Prado. Meanwhile, homes were also searched within regions outside of Santiago, in the cities of Quintero, Quilpué, Viña del Mar, Machalí and Calama.

According to preliminary reports, the individuals, whose identities have not been revealed, had been storing material in an email account with a username and password that was known by all members of the network.