More information is being made public about the local contribution to a province-wide crackdown on the online exploitation of children.
Project Aquatic took place between February 19th and March 1st, with Chatham-Kent Police and the Windsor Police Service working together to carry out four search warrants at five locations in Chatham, Windsor, and Amherstburg.
Authorities say 23 electronic devices were seized and 21 charges were laid, 10 by Chatham-Kent Police and 11 by Windsor Police.
As a result of an investigation initiated by police in Chatham-Kent, a 60-year-old Alberta man was arrested and charged with five offences by Alberta ICE (Internet Child Exploitation) officers.
The parties arrested by the Chatham-Kent Police Service, Windsor Police Service and Alberta ICE were held in custody pending bail hearings and later released with future court dates.
Project Aquatic involved multiple child sexual abuse investigations by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP)-led Provincial Strategy to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on the Internet (Provincial ICE Strategy), this project involved 27 police services across Ontario.
In the months leading up to the operation, each agency developed its own investigations, in response to reports made through cybertip.ca, and file sharing services, and executed search warrants during the takedown week.