Dark Web Child Abuse Network Uncovered by International Authorities

ThePSNIhave been informed of users of aDark Webchild sexual abuse website that has been taken down as part of a European police operation.

German and Dutch Authorities Take Down Kidflix Platform: Police in Germany were investigating and shut down a site known as Kidflix, which resembled awell-known streaming serviceand was thought to be one of the largest paedophile platforms in the world. A total of 1.8 million users worldwide logged on to the platform between April 2022 and March 2025. On 11 March 2025, the server, which contained around 72 000 videos at the time, was seized by German and Dutch authorities.

Global Arrests and Intelligence Sharing: The investigation led to almost 1,400 suspects identified worldwide, including 63 from the UK. Intelligence has been provided to 28 UK forces, including thePSNI, resulting in 79 arrests for sharing and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Additionally, 30 arrests have been made in the UK. NCA Senior Manager Neil Keeping emphasized the importance of the collaborative efforts.

Criminal Profiteering and Cybercriminal Methods: Kidflix, established in 2021, enabled criminals to profit significantly using cryptocurrencies on the platform. Authorities noted the extensive use of the platform for uploading and sharing videos, offering high-quality content for a fee. The investigation, named Operation Stream, was supported by Europol and was a monumental effort involving 35 countries to combat online child sexual exploitation.