Cross-Border Crime

That the Parliament welcomes one of the most successful world-wide investigations on child abuse co-ordinated by Europol, which has uncovered an abuse network of 70,000 people from over 30 countries; notes that the operation has identified 670 suspects and made 184 arrests and that 230 children have been safeguarded; notes that 121 arrests were made in the United Kingdom and 60 British children were protected; further notes that the complex case, known as operation rescue, is the largest investigation of its kind, with numbers expected to rise in the coming weeks as the operation develops; considers that the role played by Europol was key to identifying the members of the child sex abuse network and facilitating action by police authorities in 13 countries in Europe and beyond, and considers this a success of European and international co-operation in fighting cross-border crime and safeguarding vulnerable children.