Thirty UK-based users of a Dark Web platform called Kidflix, which hosted child sexual abuse (CSA) material, have been arrested by the National Crime Agency (NCA), following a major international investigation.

Kidflix, designed to mimic a popular video streaming service, was at the centre of a German police probe that uncovered over 1,200 global users who gained access to illegal content either by purchasing it with cryptocurrency or by uploading their own material in exchange for site-specific credits.

German authorities shared their findings with the NCA in February, prompting a rapid UK response. Intelligence officers at the NCA were able to identify 63 British users who had accessed the platform via cryptocurrency. The agency then coordinated with 28 UK police forces to initiate enforcement action. As of now, 30 individuals in the UK have been arrested, and the site itself has been taken down by German authorities.

NCA Senior Manager Neil Keeping said: "With thanks to our law enforcement partners in Germany and Europol, a dangerous site hosting tens of thousands of child sexual abuse videos has been taken down."

"NCA intelligence officers worked quickly to identify the UK users of the site, providing a package of intelligence to forces across the country so arrests could be made and children could be safeguarded."

"Providing this global to local response is paramount in our role to protect children from child sexual abuse and criminals who seek out this content. We will continue to work with international law enforcement partners to disrupt the online platforms that operate on the dark web, purely for the sexual gratification of offenders, and ensure children are safeguarded from abuse."

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Kidflix: Dark web platform taken down as 30 UK users arrested for accessing child abuse content