A covert online investigation into child exploitation that was undertaken by officers attached to Strike Force Trawler has seen an Albion Park home searched and a 19-year-old Illawarra man arrested and charged.
Strike Force Trawler is an ongoing Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU) investigation into the sexual abuse and exploitation of children facilitated through the Internet and related telecommunications devices. The force had been engaging with the Illawarra man since August 2016.
Detectives from the State Crime Command’s Sex Crimes Squad arrested the man on Thursday October 20 2016 at 12:20pm in Kanahooka. Police will allege in court the man believed he was speaking to a 13-year-old boy, made numerous indecent comments to the child and sent improper images.
Authorities also searched a home at Albion Park where they were able to seize a laptop and electronic storage devices for forensic examination.
He was charged with using a carriage service to transmit indecent communication to a person under the age of 16.
The 19-year-old was granted bail and is to appear in Wollongong Local Court on Tuesday 1 November 2016.
The Child Exploitation Internet Unit and police NSW undertake these covert online investigations regularly, working closely with their law-enforcement colleagues interstate and overseas.
Information on Internet safety is available online on the NSW Police website at
Anyone with information about Internet Predators should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page.
All information provided will be treated in the strictest of confidence.
