23 November 2007

Madrid - Police have charged 47 people across Spain linked to a vast child pornography ring that allegedly distributed photos and videos of pre-teen children and babies via cellphone networks and the internet.

The suspects, who have been taken into custody in 22 of Spain's 50 provinces, were detained during four phases of the investigation, dubbed Operation Membrillo, launched more than a year ago by the Civil Guard in the northern region of Navarre.

Speaking at a press conference in Pamplona yesterday, Civil Guard Colonel Vicente Salcedo described the content exchanged by the group as "highly perverse," noting that most of the photos and videos depicted children under the age of 10 and some were of babies.

[Copyright EL PAÍS, SL. 2007]

Subject: Spanish news