Canadian police were part of a massive operation that busted an alleged web pedophile ring with more than 300 members worldwide.
The London-based Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop), which led the operation, said a number of children had been rescued from abuse.
The key suspects were from the U.K. and a number of arrests had been made, Ceop chief executive Jim Gamble said.
"The CEOP Centre can confirm it is currently engaged in a live investigation relating to an online area believed to be used by a significant number of individuals with a sexual interest in children," Ceop said in a statement.
Ceop spokesperson Sarah Shakespeare told CTV.ca that Canadian officers, along with those from Britain, the U.S., and Australia, were involved in the undercover operation.
Det. Sgt. Scanlan of the Toronto child exploitation section told CTV.ca that police support came from "more than one area" in Canada.
But neither would provide further details, saying the investigation is ongoing with the Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT) and that authorities continue to work to identify and trace suspects.
"For this reason, we are unable to disclose further details, or an arrest breakdown at this stage. However we can confirm this inquiry relates to suspects both in the U.K. and abroad," Ceop said.
The British-led VGT is made up of a partnership of agencies from around the world, including the RCMP, that works together to protect children from online child abuse.
Ceop, a government agency affiliated with Britain's Serious Organized Crime Agency, was set up last April. Gamble said its work has led to 27 predatory pedophiles being placed into custody and about 70 children safeguarded from abuse.
It also has 18 investigations currently under way to identify child sex victims from clues given away in abuse photographs.
The news coincides with a major VGT conference that has opened in Washington, DC.
Scanlan told CTV.ca from Washington that representatives from 23 different countries are taking part in the two-day conference, called "Tacking Child Abuse."
Earlier this month, Austrian investigators announced they uncovered one of the largest Internet child-porn rings in history, involving 2,300 people and possibly more than 100 Canadians.
Toronto police say with advances in storage and online technology, the amount of child pornography being seized by police has increased significantly.
"We're seeing larger and larger collections of child pornography and child abuse images, and evidence of children being abused from around the world," said Scanlan.
The Toronto child exploitation section said investigators viewed about two million such images last year alone.
"Child exploitation is borderless and the only way we're going to be able to infiltrate and go after these pedophile rings is to work together, and share all our knowledge, best practices, and resources."
