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Calgary… Operation ICE Storm 5 has led to the arrest of eight child sexual exploitation suspects. ALERT’s Internet Child Exploitation team made the arrests over the past three months in Calgary and Coalhurst, Alta.
Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) team launched Operation ICE Storm 5 in April 2023 and focused on high-level targets that were sharing and distributing vast collections of child sexual exploitation materials via peer-to-peer file sharing networks.
Operation ICE Storm 5 prioritized suspects with the largest collections and some of the most graphic content. To date, nearly one million child sexual exploitation photos and videos have been identified. More than 35 computers and electronic devices were seized resulting in terabytes of data for forensics technicians to analyze.
At this point of the investigation, ICE investigators do not believe any of the victims are from Alberta, or that any hands-on offences had taken place.
Anyone with information about this investigation, or any child exploitation offence is encouraged to contact police or cybertip.ca.
A total of eight suspects were arrested and each face charges of possession of child pornography, access child pornography, and make available child pornography:
Operation ICE Storm 5 relied on the assistance of a number of police agencies, including: Calgary Police Service, Lethbridge Police Service, Medicine Hat Police Service, Canmore RCMP, and Coalhurst RCMP.
ALERT was established and is funded by the Alberta Government and is a compilation of the province’s most sophisticated law enforcement resources committed to tackling serious and organized crime.
The work we do is about our communities, and that’s why we recognize that residents can be instrumental in tackling serious crime. If you or someone you know has been the victim of a crime, or you suspect criminal activity, please reach out. Your information will remain strictly confidential.
Thank you for helping to make Alberta safer by being actively involved and reporting suspicious activity.
Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) involves images and/or videos that depict the sexual abuse of minors – the majority of which involve prepubescent children. Often, CSAM involves explicit and/or extreme sexual assaults against the child victim (Cybertip.ca).
Learn more about Internet Child Exploitation and ALERT’s integrated teams combatting this issue.
Ghost Guns are illegal, privately manufactured firearms or lower receivers. These weapons are often made with 3D-printers, and undermine public safety due to their lack of licensing requirements, serialization and safety controls.
Learn more about Ghost Guns on ALERT’s dedicated Privately Manufactured Firearms info page