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Sexual violence against children and young people is "one of the most repulsive crimes one can imagine": Thomas Strobl (CDU)
Photo: Bernd Weissbrod / dpa
During a large-scale access in the north of Baden-Württemberg, the police searched 33 apartments in the Heilbronn region on Tuesday.
The investigators identified 42 people who are said to have given themselves or others access to images of serious child sexual abuse.
According to the police, there have been no arrests so far.
More than 80 police officers were involved in the searches.
They secured numerous pieces of evidence - especially smartphones, computers and storage media.
The police did not initially find nine suspects during the searches.
The investigations, in particular to evaluate the extensive evidence, are ongoing.
Baden-Württemberg's Minister of the Interior, Thomas Strobl (CDU), commented on the operation that sexual violence against children and young people was "one of the most disgusting crimes that one can imagine."
Here "the weakest in our society are affected, who actually need the strongest protection."
"The fight against criminals who commit such heinous acts is therefore my absolute priority," said Strobl.
The public prosecutor's offices in Mosbach, Heilbronn, Ellwangen and the Heilbronn police headquarters are involved in the investigation.
The police in Germany have been taking action against the dissemination of abuse images of children since July.
Due to a tightening of the law, the distribution, acquisition and possession of child pornographic content have been a criminal offense since July 1st. The police recommend that you credibly distance yourself from such content if you are confronted with child pornography as a user and delete the corresponding chats .
kim / dpa / AFP
