Ninety-four people from around Poland suspected of distributing child pornography have been detained in a sting operation codenamed ‘Mermaid’. 

Police officers managed to determine over 80 addresses of those suspected of pedophilia, searched 84 apartments and houses and detained 94 people. They also confiscated 123 computers and laptops, 14 hard drives, about 6,000 CDs and DVDs, pen drives and mobile phones. 

Ten of the detained have already been charged for possession and distribution of pornographic material of minors. 

“Some of the suspects said that they downloaded porn files by mistake, not being aware of their content. However, police managed to establish that they did it repeatedly,” said Mariusz Sokolowski from the Polish Police Headquarters.  

“Mermaid” is the fourth country-wide anti-pedophile operation carried out this year. At the end of March police detained 64 people suspected of downloading child porn photographs and in January 120 people were arrested for sharing and distributing child pornography on web. Between 2007 and 2009, police detained over one thousand people suspected of possessing and distributing child pornography and 300 were charged.  

In Poland possession of pornographic material containing images of people under the age of 15 years can garner up to 5 years in prison while the distribution of child pornography nets an 8-year prison sentence. (mg)