Malaysian authorities have arrested 13 men across the country for alleged possession of material containing child sex abuse, one week before a deadline for social media giants to sign up for a licence the government says is essential to stem rampant online paedophilia content.
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The suspects were held on Monday in raids carried out concurrently in the states of Selangor, Penang, Perak, Johor and Terengganu and in capital Kuala Lumpur.
“Checks on the devices used by the suspects in their homes found an estimated 40,000 pieces of CSAM and adult pornography,” Malaysia’s police chief Razarudin Husain said in a statement, using the acronym for child sex abuse material.
Officers also confiscated seven computers, one laptop, 11 mobile phones and 16 modems and routers during the raids, which were jointly conducted with a team from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.
The suspects are being investigated for allegedly having child pornography in their possession, which carries a penalty of not more than five years’ jail, a maximum fine of 10,000 ringgit (US$2,273) or both.
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They also face possible penalties of up to three years’ jail, a fine or both for alleged possession of obscene material, according to the police.