Project Spade – Massive Child Pornography Bust

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Project Spade Porn Bust
Project Spade has reduced over 300 children in a Porn Ring International bust
Project Spade Porn Bust
Project Spade has reduced over 300 children in a Porn Ring International bust

Massive Child Pornography Bust

TORONTO – Crimebeat – On Thursday, November 14, 2013, Toronto Police Service Chief William Blair announced the results of Project Spade, a three-year, international investigation involving the making and selling of child exploitation videos and images over the internet. The investigation has rescued 386 children and has resulted in 341 arrests around the world. Arrests included teachers, and other individuals who normally would be thought of as being in positions of trust to protect children.

Toronto Police News Conference on Project Spade

In October 2010, undercover officers with the Toronto Police Service Child Exploitation Section made contact with a Toronto man allegedly sharing images of child sexual abuse.

The investigation revealed that this person may have been operating a child exploitation movie production and distribution company. The TPS then partnered with the United States Postal Inspection Service to further the investigation into this individual and company. On May 1, 2011, officers executed search warrants at a business and a residence in Toronto and arrested a man.

It is alleged that:

    • He was operating a website called www.azovfilms.com
    • this website sold and distributed child exploitation movies and images to people across the >world
    • the man paid various people to film children for the purpose of creating movies for sale on his website
    • over 45 terabytes of data were seized
    • his company had revenues in excess of $4 million

Brian Way, 42, of Toronto, was charged with:

1) Possession Child Pornography;

2) Three counts of Possession for the Purpose Publication Child Pornography.

3) Six counts of Make Available Child Pornography

4) Three counts of Make for the Purpose Publication Child Pornography

5) Three counts of Advertise for the Purpose Distribution Child Pornography

6) Three counts of Sell/Distribute Child Pornography

7) Import/Export Child Pornography

8) Possession for the Purpose Exportation Child Pornography

9) Possession of Proceeds of Crime

10) Laundering Proceeds of Crime

11) Instructing Commission of Offence for Criminal Organization

This is the first time in Canada this charge (#11) has been laid in relation to a child exploitation material investigation. 

The TPS was able to determine the identities of customers of this website from around the world. The RCMP’s National Child Exploitation Coordination Centre (N.C.E.C.C.) in Ottawa assisted the Child Exploitation Section in providing intelligence to over 50 countries.

As a result, 341 people have been arrested around the world. In addition, 386 children have been rescued from child exploitation.

The Toronto Police Service would like to acknowledge the following agencies who participated in Project Spade:

The United States Postal Inspection Service

Australian Federal Police

Cuerpo Nacional de Policía – Brigada de Investigación Tecnológica (Spain)

Procuraduria General de la Republica (PGR) in cooperation with Mexican Federal Police

Queensland Police Service . Task Force Argos

South African Police Service

Hong Kong Police Force

Norwegian Police Service (Politi- og lensmannsetaten)

An Garda Síochána (Ireland)

National Police Force of Greece

Royal Gibraltar Police

The following Ontario law enforcement agencies:

Ontario Provincial Police

Barrie Police Service

Brantford Police Service

Durham Regional Police Service

Guelph Police Service

Halton Regional Police Service

Hamilton Police Service

Kingston Police Force

Waterloo Regional Police Service

London Police Service

Niagara Regional Police Service

Ottawa Police Service

Peel Regional Police

Windsor Police Service

York Regional Police

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James Murray
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