Scale of internet child pornography use wider than thought

GARDAÍ are unearthing a level of internet child pornography use that is thought to be on a scale greater than that exposed by Operation Amethyst.

Operation Amethyst, conducted in May 2002, involved searches on 110 homes and businesses in Ireland following information provided by the FBI in the US. The present operation, codenamed Operation Bonfire, is investigating more than 300 Irish people.

They are suspected of having viewed or downloaded internet child pornography following an international investigation.