Three New Zealand men have been arrested and convicted following an international operation to identify individuals involved in the distribution of child abuse material on the internet.

The three men face charges of distributing and possessing objectionable publications.

The operation that netted the men was launched in July last year and coordinated by OCEANZ, a specialist New Zealand police unit working as part of the FBI-led Violent Crimes Against Children International Taskforce (VCACITF) to protect children from online child abuse.

Detective Senior Sergeant John Michael said the three New Zealanders arrested were among 48 individuals identified and arrested worldwide as part of this operation.
"So far, 31 children have been rescued from abusive situations. Four children in New Zealand have been safeguarded from potential abuse," he said.

Mr Michael said trade in child abuse images was a serious criminal offence that victimised and revictimised "our most vulnerable members of society".

"Investigations are ongoing and in addition to those already identified and arrested, more than 100 investigative leads have so far been disseminated to countries involved," he said.

VCACITF was established in 2004 and now includes 67 investigators from 44 countries who work closely together to coordinate complex multinational investigations.

"As well as investigators from OCEANZ, Customs NZ and the Department of Internal Affairs, this investigation involved police and law enforcement agencies from the USA, Australia, Spain, Poland, Greece, France, Canada, Romania, and the United Kingdom," said Mr Michael.

"The results of this operation highlight the significant level of coordination and cooperation taking place worldwide to bring to justice those that would exploit children."

Mr Michael, who headed the Oceanz team, would not go into detail about where the New Zealanders were convicted, citing "operational reasons".

But he said the men were convicted between late last year and late this year.

"The sentences have ranged from community-based, through to home detention and imprisonment," he said.

"For operational reasons we can't release where in New Zealand they are, because that could jeopardise further investigations."

The four New Zealand children "safeguarded" from potential abuse, had been living with people being investigated, he said.

But there was "no evidence they were being sexually abused".

"Because of the type of environment they were in, where someone had been investigated for offences around child exploitation and child abuse material, there was obviously a concern from police that children could be at risk."

He was unsure if the children had been permanently removed from the homes, but said Child, Youth and Family had been involved.

The operation was now complete in New Zealand, but other countries were still investigating, Mr Michael said.

"We coordinated the operation, so all of the New Zealand ones have been taken care of."

Mr Michael said the operation had been "very" successful, involving a "high level of international cooperation".

"Within New Zealand, we had police, Customs, the Department of Internal Affairs investigators working closely together."