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By John Ogunsemore
Sixty individuals have been arrested for child sexual offences and 65 child victims identified and rescued following a year-long international police operation in nine countries across Central America, North America and the Caribbean.
In a statement, the International Police said it launched Operation Eclipse between February 2025 and January 2026 across Belize, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama.
The operation coordinated by INTERPOL, with support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Child Rescue Coalition (CRC), targeted the production and distribution of child sexual abuse and exploitation material, with a primary focus on identifying victims and reopening long-unsolved or “cold” cases.
INTERPOL said the majority of victims were aged between 5 and 13 years old, with approximately 80 per cent identified as girls, which underscores the disproportionate impact on girls, while highlighting that prevention and response efforts must also be adapted for boys.
“The victims who were minors at the time of the operation were rescued, receiving protective and aftercare measure from national authorities,” according to the statement published on the INTERPOL website on Thursday.
The alleged perpetrators included family members, friends, neighbours, educators, online predators and foreign travellers.
INTERPOL said it provided critical technical support, real-time intelligence sharing and strategic guidance throughout the operation, which united law enforcement agencies and judicial authorities across Latin America to synchronise investigations, execute targeted interventions, and gather robust cross-border evidence.
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The statement reads, “In Panama, authorities successfully resolved a long-standing case involving a victim who had remained unidentified on INTERPOL’s International Child Sexual Exploitation database for over a decade. The breakthrough was achieved through the INTERPOL Victim Identification Task Force for Latin American and the Caribbean, which brought together specialized officers from the region to analyse imagery and trace offenders. The identification allowed police to obtain critical evidence for judicial proceedings, ensured the victim received protection and support services and led to the identification of an additional victim.
“In the Dominican Republic, two suspects were apprehended for child sexual abuse crimes, including the production and possession of child sexual abuse material, related to two victims, aged 10 and 13. The mother of the victims was one of those arrested, charged with facilitating and perpetrating the abuse. The other suspect was a transnational sex offender who lived with the victims. The arrest led to the seizure of more abuse material, revealing further victims.
“Police in Costa Rica investigated a series of child abuse material on the International Child Sexual Exploitation database dating back more than 10 years. The specialized unit was able to confirm the identification of the underage victim. The offender had initially impersonated a celebrity online, then used grooming tactics, sextortion and threats against the victim’s family to maintain control over the victim.
“In another significant development, a bilateral meeting between Panama and the Dominican Republic resulted in the identification of two suspects wanted by Panamanian authorities for sexual offenses. Both individuals were located in Dominican territory, prompting the initiation of extradition proceedings.”
Cyril Gout, INTERPOL’s Acting Executive Director of Police Services, was quoted as saying, “Pursuing older cases is not only about delivering justice and protecting victims, it is about preventing further harm. Operation Eclipse demonstrates that, through international collaboration and specialised expertise, even years-old abuse can be uncovered and those responsible brought to justice, helping to break the cycle of harm.”
INTERPOL said that as part of the operation, participating countries were also asked to reassess 57 existing Notices related to individuals believed to be living within their borders.
“This included Red Notices – for internationally wanted child sexual offenders – and Blue Notices – seeking to collect additional information about a person’s identity, location or activities in relation to a criminal investigation.
“To date, 12 of those individuals have been located and apprehended, and efforts remain ongoing to trace and extradite the remaining suspects,” the statement further reads.
