March 20, 2009
SYDNEY (AFP) - Australian and Thai police have arrested three men in a joint operation against what they said Friday was a child sex tourism and pornography ring.
Two of the men, Australians aged 40 and 23, were arrested late Thursday by officers in Sydney and charged with child sex, child sex tourism and child pornography, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said.
The third, a 68-year-old Australian living in Thailand, was arrested on the same day and charged with the same offences by the Royal Thai Police.
Britain's child exploitation and online protection centre also assisted with the investigation, the Australian police said.
"The AFP will not tolerate any form of child abuse in Australia or anywhere in the world, and will continue to work with local and overseas counterparts to arrest those behind child exploitation," said spokesman David Stewart.
The Sydney men were due to appear in court Friday, while the third would be dealt with under the Thai legal system, the police said.
