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The Singapore Police Force (‘SPF’), in collaboration with the Hong Kong Police Force (‘HKPF’), Japan National Police Agency (‘JNPA’), Korean National Police Agency (‘KNPA’), Royal Malaysia Police (‘RMP’), Royal Thai Police (‘RTP’) and Royal Brunei Police Force (‘RBPF’), have jointly arrested 326 persons in a cross-border operation targeting online child sexual exploitation (‘OCSE’) activities between 23 March 2026 and 17 April 2026. Another 119 persons are assisting with Police investigations. The 445 arrested and investigated persons comprise of 430 men and 15 women, aged between 12 and 72.

During the four-week operation, officers from the Specialised Crime Branch of the Criminal Investigation Department (‘CID’), in collaboration with the aforementioned six Police forces, conducted raids at 382 locations in Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand and Brunei. Electronic devices, including 116 computers, 340 handphones, 25 tablets, 140 storage devices and 16 routers, were seized, along with child sexual abuse materials and obscene materials.

Such offences are often facilitated through digital platforms and cross-border financial channels, hence, close partnership with industry partners is critical. In this operation, the SPF worked closely with technology companies, financial institutions, and NGOs to detect, disrupt and prevent OCSE.

Of the 326 persons arrested, 11 men, aged between 22 and 44, were arrested in Singapore, and an additional 16 persons are assisting with investigations for their suspected involvement in the following offences:

1. Producing, possessing, gaining access and distributing child sexual abuse materials under Sections 377BG to 377BK of the Penal Code 1871 (‘PC’);
   
   
2. Sexual communication with a minor under Section 376EB PC;
   
   
3. Offences relating to commercial sex with minors under Section 376B PC; 
   
   
4. Threatening to distribute intimate image or recording under Section 377BE PC; 
   
   
5. Transmission and sale of obscene materials under Section 292(1)(a) PC ; and
   
   
6. Possession of obscene films under Section 30 of the Films Act 1981.

The punishments for these offences are appended in Annex A.

Preliminary investigations revealed that eight of these individuals had knowingly accessed, downloaded and possessed child sexual abuse materials (‘CSAM’) through online messaging platforms and peer-to-peer (‘P2P’) services.

In one case, following enforcement by the RMP in Malaysia, information was shared with the SPF regarding a person allegedly selling obscene materials to individuals in Singapore. Acting on the information, the SPF investigated two persons, aged 26 and 28, for making cross-border payments to access such materials through a Telegram channel.

In another case, two victims were sexually exploited by a foreign offender through an online platform. The case was surfaced through a referral from an NGO, and the SPF worked closely with foreign law enforcement partners to identify the offender. On 27 March 2026, the offender was arrested. His devices were found to contain materials involving the victims, as well as images of another potential victim. Investigations are ongoing.

Deputy Commissioner (Investigation & Intelligence) Zhang Weihan expressed appreciation to all SPF, HKPF, JNPA, KNPA, RMP, RTP, and RBPF officers involved for their professionalism and tenacity during the operation. He said, “I would like to acknowledge the strong support from our partners in combating online child sexual exploitation. By bringing together law enforcement efforts and private sector capabilities, we can intervene swiftly to identify and arrest offenders as well as better protect children. We will spare no efforts in seeking out perpetrators who think they can hide behind the anonymity of the Internet to prey on vulnerable victims.”

The Police take a serious view of crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. Offenders will be dealt with firmly in accordance with the law. Members of the public are advised to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious online activity to the Police.

Photographs of operations executed by law enforcement agencies

Photographs from Singapore Police Force











Photographs from Japan National Police Agency





Photographs from Royal Thai Police

Annex A – Punishments for offences 

According to Section 377BG of the Penal Code 1871, any person who produces child abuse material shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years, and shall also be liable to a fine or caning.

According to Section 377BK(1) of the Penal Code 1871, any person who has in possession, or has gained access to, child abuse material, and knows or has reason to believe that the material is child abuse material, shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years, and shall also be liable to a fine or caning.

According to Section 377BI(1) of the Penal Code 1871, any person who distributes, sells, offers for sale, or possesses child abuse material for the purpose of distribution or sale, and knows or has reason to believe that the material is child abuse material, shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to a fine or caning.

According to Section 376B(1) of the Penal Code 1871, any person who obtains, for consideration, the sexual services of a person below 18 years of age shall be guilty of an offence and shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years, or with fine, or with both.

According to Section 376B(2) of the Penal Code 1871, any person who communicates with another person for the purpose of obtaining, for consideration, the sexual services of a person below 18 years of age shall be guilty of an offence and shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.

According to Section 376EB(1) of the Penal Code 1871, any person of or above 18 years of age who, for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification from a person below 16 years of age, engages in communication that is sexual in nature shall be guilty of an offence and shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.

According to Section 377BE(1) of the Penal Code 1871, any person who threatens to distribute an intimate image or recording of another person without that person’s consent, and knows or has reason to believe that the threat will cause humiliation, alarm or distress, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years, or with fine, or with caning, or with any combination of such punishments.

According to Section 292(1)(a) of the Penal Code 1871, any person who sells, distributes, transmits, or possesses for the purpose of distribution any obscene material shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine, or with both.

According to Section 30(1) of the Films Act 1981, any person who has in his or her possession any obscene film shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $20,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.