Pretoria – Two men suspected of sexual grooming, manufacturing, and distributing child pornography have been arrested in a joint operation involving the South African Police Service (SAPS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as well as the US Department of Homeland Security.
In a statement released on Sunday, (15 December 2024), SAPS said the assistance of US law enforcers led to the tracing and arrest of two suspects.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk said the suspects were arrested for sexual grooming, possession, downloading, manufacturing, and distribution of child pornography in different parts of Gauteng.
Lieutenant Colonel Van Wyk said in the first operation, on Thursday, (12 December 2024), members from both the national and Gauteng provincial Serial and Electronic Crime Investigations Unit and Forensic Social Work together with the FBI acted on information supplied through an international tip line.
She said investigations led the team to an address in Vanderbijlpark, in Gauteng, where they arrested a 49-year-old man who allegedly sexually groomed, and raped his girlfriend’s 15-year-old daughter.
“In another takedown, on Friday, (13 December 2024), the team arrested a 41-year-old suspect, a former teacher and school principal in Pretoria on charges of exposing children to adult pornography and sexual grooming of boys between the ages of 10 and 12,” said Lieutenant Colonel Van Wyk.
“Three victims have been positively identified thus far, a further six victims are yet to be traced.”
In this operation, the multi-disciplinary team comprised members from the national and Gauteng provincial SECI Unit and the Pretoria Central Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences Unit in collaboration with the US Department of Homeland Security.
Lieutenant Colonel Van Wyk said: “In both matters, the teams seized various electronic devices suspected of containing sexual child abuse images and videos, or commonly known as child pornography.
Both suspects are expected to appear separately before the Pretoria Central Magistrate’s Court and Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court on Monday, (17 December 2024).
Lieutenant Colonel Van Wyk said the state will oppose bail in both matters.
