Canada porn sweep nets 57 arrests

OTTAWA, March 26 (UPI) -- Canadian police agencies announced in Ottawa that 57 people have been arrested on Internet child pornography charges, and more were forthcoming.

At a news conference called by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Superintendent John Bilinski said Canada's largest ever probe involved more than 30 police agencies from coast to coast, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported.

"The operation was an unqualified success," Bilinski said of the five-month investigation.

More than 100 charges were filed that include sexual assault, sexual interference and possessing, making and distributing child pornography, the Canwest News Service reported.

The reports said the investigation was based on input from the National Child Exploitation Coordination Center.

The group's spokeswoman, Liana McDonald, told the CBC the sweep was encouraging.

"We're dealing with a dark side of human behavior, so to wipe that out completely is impossible," she said. "But law enforcement is prioritizing this and we are having success."