Officials said about 30 million indecent images were uncovered during Operation Lattise, with those arrested facing charges that include rape, sharing indecent images of children, grooming for a sexual goal, indecent communication with children, bestiality and drug offenses.
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“Online child sexual abuse is a national threat”, Assistant Chief Constable Malcolm Graham warned.
134 investigations led to raids on the homes of 83 suspects and police seized over 500 devices, including smartphones, hard drives and tablets.
‘Operation Lattise was about shining a light on the scale of this issue.
Specialist officers found that 523 children as young as three were potential victims of sexual abuse after being groomed online.
“This is children being sexually abused and these images being shared”.
ACC Graham said: “We have used some new techniques to identify those that are committing prolific sexual crimes against children online”.
“The reality is that it is happening now not only across Scotland but increasingly across the world to children of all ages from infants to teenagers”.
Too many children are exposed to unsafe and harmful content through the internet, or are subjected to online harassment, grooming, and sexual exploitation.
The operation, which took place between June 6 and July 15, focused on the distribution, possession and sharing of indecent images of children, online grooming, the livestreaming of sexual abuse and the sexual extortion of youngsters over the internet and using webcams.
“It is about real victims in Scotland and elsewhere”.
“Keeping children safe is a priority for both Police Scotland and the Scottish Government, so although there are many positive aspects to the online world I recognise there are also risks we have to be aware of”.
He said: “Whether they throw the computer in the bath or not, we can find what they have looked at. It’s about these horrific acts which ruin people’s lives and we need to make sure that stops”.
The suspects face a total of more than 390 charges between them.
“These men – and it is predominantly men – are using the profiles of younger children to groom them and offend against them”, he told the BBC.
Police are also working with young people and parents to help raise awareness of the potential dangers of the internet.
According to figures from the force, recorded offenses are increasing each year.
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The offence of taking, distributing or possessing indecent images of children increased from 605 in 2014-15 to 645.
