Media Release
Operation Cumberland - Australian duo charged as part of global investigation into AI-generated child abuse material
Two Australian men are among 25 people arrested as part of a global operation targeting the alleged production and distribution of child abuse material generated by artificial intelligence (AI).
The AFP charged the Australians this week as part of a global resolution for Operation Cumberland, which was led by Danish Police and involved Europol and law enforcement agencies from 19 countries.
A Queensland man, 31, was charged on 25 February, 2025, and was granted police bail to appear in court on 19 March, 2025.
A New South Wales man, 38, was charged on 26 February, 2025. He faced Downing Centre Local Court on 27 February, 2025, and was granted bail to reappear in court at a later date.
The men are not believed to know each other.
The extensive investigation began in Denmark, Europe, when local police arrested a Danish national for allegedly producing AI-generated child abuse material and selling it online to users through a subscription service.
Danish law enforcement allegedly identified 273 subscribers in 19 countries and alerted the relevant authorities, including the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE).
The ACCCE started an investigation into allegations two Australian men had subscribed to the illegal site and worked with AFP officers in NSW and QLD to gather evidence about any illegal activity.
As a result of those inquiries the AFP executed search warrants this week at the men’s homes in Cairns, QLD and Toukley, NSW.
At each man’s home the AFP allegedly found child abuse material on mobile phones and other electronic devices. The devices will be subject to further forensic examination.
AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Kurt Wesche said the investigation highlighted the importance of law enforcement working together across the world to combat this crime type.
“The exploitation and abuse of children is not restricted by borders, so no one country can combat this threat alone,” Det a/Supt Wesche said.
“AI technology is increasingly accessible and the ACCCE has witnessed an increase in AI-generated child abuse material in the past year.
“It is getting harder for police to discern if an image shows a real child, and we are concerned AI-generated material diverts our investigative resources from finding real children who are being abused and at harm.
“Although the children depicted in this material are not real, these criminal networks are still involved in the sexual exploitation of children.
“In Australia, it is a criminal offence to create, possess or share content that depicts the abuse of someone aged under 18; it is child abuse material irrespective of whether it is ‘real’ or not.”
The Cairns man was charged with:
Four counts of possessing child abuse material accessed or obtained using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A of the Criminal Code (Cth).
The Toukley man was charged with:
One count of possessing child abuse material accessed or obtained using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A of the Criminal Code (Cth); and
One count of using a carriage service to access child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22 of the Criminal Code (Cth).
The maximum penalty for each of these offences is 15 years' imprisonment.
Investigations under Operation Cumberland remain ongoing and further arrests are expected.
The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and the ACCCE is driving a collaborative national approach.
The ACCCE brings together specialist expertise and skills in a central hub, supporting investigations into online child sexual exploitation and developing prevention strategies focused on creating a safer online environment.
Members of the public who have information about people involved in child abuse are urged to contact the ACCCE. If you know abuse is happening right now, or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000.
If you, or someone you know, is impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation, support services are available.
Research conducted by the ACCCE in 2020 revealed only about half of parents talked to their children about online safety. Advice and support for parents and carers about how they can help protect children online can be found at the ThinkUKnow website, an AFP-led education program designed to prevent online child sexual exploitation.
For more information on the role of the ACCCE, what online child sexual exploitation is and how to report it, visit the ACCCE website.
Note to media
Use of term 'CHILD ABUSE' MATERIAL not ‘CHILD PORNOGRAPHY’
The correct legal term is Child Abuse Material – the move to this wording was among amendments to Commonwealth legislation in 2019 to more accurately reflect the gravity of the crimes and the harm inflicted on victims.
Use of the phrase ‘child pornography’ is inaccurate and benefits child sex abusers because it:
indicates legitimacy and compliance on the part of the victim and therefore legality on the part of the abuser; and
conjures images of children posing in 'provocative' positions, rather than suffering horrific abuse.
Every photograph or video captures an actual situation where a child has been abused.
