Brussels prosecutors have carried out a large-scale operation targeting the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse images, opening 52 separate case files and conducting dozens of searches across the capital.
The cybercrime section of the Brussels public prosecutor's office led the investigations, supported by specialised officers from the federal judicial police's computer crime unit.
The operation was launched following international intelligence sharing, which identified multiple IP addresses in Brussels linked to the downloading of illegal images and videos.
Investigating judges were appointed in all 52 cases, allowing a series of searches to be carried out and several suspects to be questioned.
At this stage, 28 cases have yielded concrete evidence, while in-depth investigations are still ongoing. Four suspects have been placed in pre-trial detention, and a number of others have been formally charged and released under strict conditions.
The searches resulted in the seizure of a large volume of digital equipment, including 158 computers, 225 external hard drives, 323 USB sticks and memory cards, nine servers, and 160 mobile phones and tablets. In total, around 600 terabytes of data were confiscated for analysis.
More than 315 investigators from the six Brussels police zones and the federal judicial police were mobilised during November and December. Specially trained ICT detection dogs from the federal police also took part in the operation.
The Brussels prosecutor's office said the protection of children, wherever they are, remains a top priority. It stressed that any possession or downloading of images or videos involving child sexual abuse directly contributes to the exploitation of children.
The operation also highlights the role of the dedicated cybercrime section within the Brussels prosecutor's office, officially established on 1 June 2025.
The unit is tasked with handling cases involving cybercrime offences such as hacking and digital sabotage, as well as complex investigations requiring advanced cyber expertise, including the present case.
