The Ghana Police Service has arrested three Ghanaians in connection with the production and distribution of child sexual abuse material, following a joint operation involving the Australian Federal Police and Interpol.

The arrests form part of investigations into an international child exploitation case linked to an Australian offender currently standing trial in Australia.

Briefing the media on Tuesday, May 12, on major criminal investigation breakthroughs, the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Commissioner of Police Lydia Yaako Donkor, said the suspects were arrested for the taking, production, publication and processing of indecent images and videos involving children.

She explained that Interpol Accra received intelligence in January 2026 from Interpol Canberra and the Crimes Against Children Unit of the Interpol General Secretariat regarding a child sexual exploitation case linked to Ghana.

According to her, the intelligence, shared by the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation Victim Identification Team, indicated that an Australian suspect arrested in 2025 had received child sexual exploitation material from individuals based in Ghana.

She added that records further showed that the offender transferred funds to facilitators in Ghana in exchange for child sexual exploitation material involving victims also located in the country.

The Australian authorities subsequently requested assistance from the Ghana Police Service to rescue the victims and arrest the suspects.

Further investigations by officers from Interpol Accra, together with the Child Digital Forensics and Cybercrime Units under the supervision of CID headquarters, led to the arrest of two suspects in the Ashanti Region and the rescue of two victims aged between seven and 13 years.

Police later arrested a third suspect in the Bono Region, where two additional victims aged six and seven years were also rescued.

All three suspects are in police custody, assisting with investigations, while the rescued children are receiving care from the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) in their respective regions. The Abuse Relief Corps, a non-governmental organisation, is also supporting DOVVSU with care and counselling services.

Commissioner Donkor revealed that preliminary investigations indicate some of the suspects are close relatives of the victims, including an older brother and a mother, who are legally responsible for the children’s care.

She warned that child sexual abuse remains a serious criminal offence punishable by a fine of up to 5,000 penalty units, imprisonment of up to 10 years, or both.

She further noted that cyber-enabled child exploitation crimes are on the rise due to their ease of commission, difficulty of detection and financial incentives for offenders.

The CID Director-General assured that the Ghana Police Service is intensifying collaboration with international partners and stakeholders to combat the menace.

She also announced plans for a nationwide sensitisation programme and the establishment of additional cybercrime and child protection units to strengthen efforts against child exploitation and abuse.