Kochi, Kerala: The cyber police have stepped up surveillance of groups using the dark web and prohibited secret messaging apps to circulate child sexual abuse material.

The Countering Child Sexual Exploitation (CCSE) team, operating under the Cyber Operations wing of the Kerala Police, is receiving assistance from international agencies, including Interpol, to track down those involved in such activities.

The material is exchanged through social media platforms, encrypted messaging services and cloud storage facilities. Secret groups involved in the circulation of such content frequently change their names to evade detection.

Over the past six years, the CCSE unit has registered 2,306 cases and arrested 403 people for searching for, viewing, storing or sharing child sexual abuse images and videos online.

Based on intelligence inputs, the police conduct raids and seize electronic devices, including mobile phones, laptops and hard drives, suspected of being used in the crimes. The devices are then sent for forensic examination.

Investigators use IP addresses and digital evidence to identify the accused. The probes have also uncovered groups using malware to gain access to the webcams and personal information of minors.

Interpol assistance since 2019

Interpol began assisting the Kerala Police in the P-Hunt operation in 2019. Following this, the Kerala Police established India's first specialised task force to combat online exploitation of children.

Interpol provides the team with training and assistance to strengthen its capabilities.

The International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC), based in the United States, shares hundreds of thousands of reports related to online child exploitation with India every year.

The CCSE team analyses these reports to identify suspects and initiate action, including raids and arrests.