KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 — Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail today said 31 individuals, including teachers and students, have been arrested in a major police crackdown on an online network producing and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
He said the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), through its Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and in close collaboration with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), uncovered more than 880,000 digital files in a joint operation codenamed Op Pedo.
“The operation ran from September 22 to 30, 2025, simultaneously across 37 locations nationwide, involving 206 officers and personnel from 14 state contingents, PDRM and MCMC.
“As a result, 31 suspects were arrested out of 37 targets, comprising 25 primary targets and six follow-up arrests. All suspects were male, aged between 12 and 71, and came from diverse backgrounds including teachers, engineers, graphic designers, chefs, school and university students, and unemployed individuals,” he said during the Op Pedo press conference here today.
According to him, 17 suspects have already been charged in court, while 14 others were released on bail.
Authorities also seized 82 digital devices, including computers, mobile phones, modems and storage drives.
Mohd Khalid said a total of 29 investigation papers were opened under several provisions, including the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, Section 292 of the Penal Code, and the Immigration Act 1959/63, which covers offences involving failure to possess valid travel documents or permits.
“Out of the total cases, 15 investigation papers received prosecution directives involving 17 suspects. Of these, 15 suspects pleaded guilty and were fined between RM1,000 and RM10,000, while two others chose to stand trial,” he said.
He said investigations revealed that the suspects accessed and traded explicit materials through Telegram, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, the dark web and cloud storage sites.
Some acted as Telegram group administrators, offering paid access to CSAM using e-wallet and QR code transactions, including through Maybank and Touch ‘n Go.
Mohd Khalid said among the key findings from the operation was the involvement of trusted individuals, such as religious teachers and others in similar roles.
“One 17-year-old suspect was found to have earned RM76,000 within the first nine months of 2025 from distributing child sexual abuse material online.
“This shows that the spread of such content has gone beyond individual deviance — it has become a commercial activity motivated by profit. That’s a very dangerous development, especially when we’re seeing teenagers actively participating,” he added.
Of the 31 suspects, he said 30 were Malaysians and one a foreign national.
