More than 40 paedophile suspects have been arrested in what the Metropolitan Police describes as its "biggest ever operation" against abusers. Three hundred officers raided 55 addresses as part of an operation aimed at protecting children from predators.
Students, computer programmers, bank workers and estate agents were among those snared by police.
Police asked wives and girlfriends to report men they suspected of viewing online child pornography.
Detective Chief Superintendent Peter Spindler, head of the Met's Child Abuse Investigation Command (CAIC), said: "Paedophiles have not learnt from Operation Ore. They are still going online to find images of child abuse."
High-tech scanning
Det Supt Spindler said computer equipment in people's homes was often too sophisticated for regular police officers to deal with.
A custom-built Met forensics van, decked out with high-tech scanning devices and believed to be the first of its kind in Europe, is now accompanying officers on complex cases.
Detective Sergeant Shaun Reardon said even the most advanced online offenders were being caught with this technology.
"With the use of this van, a full evidential package against a person suspected of looking at online child abuse can now be prepared within a day if needed."
The equipment is also helping to cut the time suspects are on bail from up to 18 months to three months.
This reduces bail times for defendants and according to officers it has reduced the number of suspects killing themselves, with no on-bail suicides reported this year among those arrested by the Metropolitan Police.
One-Minute World News 
News services
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
