A 27 year old man in Queensland, Australia, has been charged with 596 child abuse related offences after investigators uncovered a global network of alleged online exploitation involving hundreds of children.
Authorities say the case, known as Operation Xray Wick, centers on allegations that the man targeted minors through social media and gaming platforms between 2018 and 2025. Police allege he used multiple fake identities to groom and coerce victims into sending sexually explicit material, which was then stored and organised on his electronic devices.
The investigation highlights the scale of online child exploitation and the growing challenge for law enforcement agencies working across borders to identify and support victims.
Queensland child abuse charges stem from an investigation launched in February 2025 after detectives seized devices from a home in Maryborough. A forensic review later uncovered more than 23,000 images and videos linked to alleged offences.
Police believe the material relates to about 459 victims across Australia and at least 15 other countries, with most aged between seven and 15. More than 200 are based in Australia, while others are overseas, mainly in English speaking nations.
So far, around 360 victims have been identified, with investigations continuing alongside international partners to locate and assist the remaining children.
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According to Queensland Police, the accused allegedly created numerous online profiles posing as both men and women to contact children and record interactions. Officers say the material was “meticulously” organised into folders after being obtained directly from victims through grooming and coercion.
The charges include 244 counts of producing child abuse material using a carriage service, 163 counts of using a carriage service to procure children under 16, and 87 counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child through a carriage service.
Detective Acting Chief Superintendent Denzil Clark said the scale of the case made identification work complex and time consuming, noting that the “volume of images” required specialist digital forensics and sustained investigative effort.
Clark also warned that authorities are seeing “an increasing prevalence of children being groomed, coerced, or threatened” into sending explicit images through popular apps, games, and social platforms, adding that the trauma experienced by victims can be severe.
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Police confirmed the alleged offending occurred entirely online and that other suspects are being examined as part of ongoing inquiries. The man has been in custody since his arrest in February 2025.
The case is expected to proceed through the courts, while investigators continue working with international agencies to identify remaining victims and ensure support services are provided.
