Suspected paedophiles arrested

LONDON, England -- More than 40 suspected paedophiles have been arrested across the United Kingdom and Ireland.

A series of early morning raids was carried out on Tuesday on the homes of those suspected of distributing child pornography over the Internet.

Greater Manchester Police led the raids following a four-month investigation into paedophile Internet activity focusing on people who distribute and store indecent images of children.

Officers from 25 police forces in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland simultaneously raided 45 homes at 7 a.m.

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A spokeswoman for the Greater Manchester Police said one man had been arrested earlier because police believed he posed a direct risk to children.

This is the latest in a series of crackdowns by police on suspected Internet paedophile rings across the country.

Operation Cathedral, the largest-ever international operation was co-ordinated by the National Crime Squad in London, and resulted in raids in a number of countries in 1998 and prosecutions last year.

Officers had to identify babies as young as three months old after images were seized in the UK and abroad.

New powers which allow high-level police investigators to read e-mail messages sent in the UK are aimed at helping officers to tackle cyber space crimes.

Four U.S. citizens and five Russians were arrested in an ongoing investigation into a Moscow-based Web site that sold and distributed pornographic videotapes featuring children, the U.S. Customs Service announced on Monday.

Alleged pornographers and child molesters in Moscow and three U.S. states were arrested after a 10-month joint investigation by Russian officials and the U.S. Customs Service.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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