Swoop on 'child porn rings'

A youth of 16 was among 18 people arrested today on suspicion of being involved in two international child porn rings.

A series of raids in Britain and Ireland were coordinated by Scotland Yard. Those arrested are suspected of helping distribute pornographic pictures of children on the internet.

The Yard said officers from 11 forces took part in Operation Barcela which followed a seven-month investigation by the Obscene Publications and Internet unit.

Chief Inspector Chris Bradford said: "I want to make it very clear that offenders can no longer hide behind the anonymity of the internet technology. We can and will trace and identify you."

Two men aged 28 and 32 were arrested in Wood Green and a further two men aged 20 and 23 in St John's Wood. Computer equipment was seized at both addresses.

The 16- year- old was arrested in North Baddesley, Hampshire. A 24-year-old man from Havant was also held. Other forces involved include Devon and Cornwall, Derbyshire, Northamptonshire, Hampshire, West Midlands, Suffolk, Lancashire, Hertfordshire, Cleveland and Dublin.

In a separate investigation police in Nottingham arrested a man and seized more than 120,000 computer images of child abuse.

The man, in his forties, was arrested after an 18-month investigation which involved police forces around the world.