A 35-year-old Auckland man was today sentenced at the Manukau District Court for his involvement in the online sexual exploitation of children. He received four years and ten months’ imprisonment following a Customs investigation which began in August 2024. He has been placed on the child sex offender register.

On 13 August 2024, the defendant arrived at Auckland International Airport from overseas. A Customs officer examined the man's phone and identified child sexual abuse material, including image and video files depicting extreme sexual abuse of minors. Customs arrested the man on site for the importation of objectionable publications.

The man’s electronic devices were subject to further forensic analysis by Customs forensic specialists. This identified the defendant as part of a global organised criminal group whose goal was to obtain and distribute objectionable publications which depicted the sexual exploitation of children.

The defendant had been sharing objectionable files on different chat applications to other members of the group, based in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Denmark. Three other associated offenders have subsequently been arrested by overseas authorities.

The man used the group chats to discuss the sexual abuse of children; the illegal use of drugs; and tactics to attempt to evade law enforcement. The defendant had also participated in, and recorded, a livestream involving 14 other offenders sharing child sexual abuse videos with the group.

He was prosecuted on charges for the import, export, distribution, possession and making of objectionable material, and participation in an organised criminal group. In total the man imported (downloaded) 1,853 objectionable publications; exported (uploaded) 1,372 objectionable publications; distributed 117 objectionable publications; and made one objectionable publication.

Chief Customs Officer - Child Exploitation Operations Team, Simon Peterson, says “This man was an active member of a particularly sinister encrypted social media group whose sole purpose was to celebrate the sexual abuse of children by sharing and commenting on videos and images of that abuse.

“Child sexual abuse material is not just a commodity. Its existence and trade is a crime against children, and insidious. Globally networked groups like this perpetuate ongoing suffering for the victims depicted and create a dangerous demand for more.”

If you have concerns or suspicions about someone who may be trading in or producing child sexual abuse images or videos, contact Customs confidentially on 0800 WE PROTECT (0800 937 768) or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. If you are, or know of, someone who is at risk or being abused, contact the Police immediately.

Note:

• Customs works closely with partners in Police, the Department of Internal Affairs and overseas to combat online child sexual exploitation.
• Any publication that promotes or supports the exploitation of children for sexual purposes is deemed an objectionable publication under the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993.
• Objectionable publications are prohibited imports and exports under the Customs and Excise Act 2018. The maximum penalty for the importation or exportation of objectionable publications is ten years’ imprisonment.

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