How federal police rescued 56 children and 11 animals from sexual abuse and arrested 26 paedophiles 

Australian investigators were able to rescue 56 children and 11 animals from sexual abuse and arrest 26 peadophiles because of a single USB drive.

One of those arrested when investigators swooped was 31-year-old western Sydney soccer coach Grant Harden, who was jailed for 30 years earlier this month. 

The USB stick was discovered in February 2020 after a lead from the US National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children sparked a search of the NSW Central Coast home of Justin Radford, 30, by Australian Federal Police. 

The device was handed to an AFP technician who was able to bypass the security and crack open the sickening international abuse ring. 

‘It’s gut-wrenching stuff, the whole of the material for Operation Arkstone is definitely the worst that I’ve seen and on the most extreme end. It is just the worst of the worst,’ AFP acting Sergeant Scott Veltmeyer told The Sydney Morning Herald.  

‘A digital forensic specialist could find hidden files and vault applications that revealed this online network that operated locally, nationally and overseas.’

As well as the 26 arrests in Australia, Operation Arkstone also resulted in 154 referrals to police agencies across the globe. 

The investigation revealed a web of paedophiles who had never met in person but would swap pictures and footage of children being abused online, some of which they made themselves. 

The disturbing content would even be shared over widely used platforms such as Snapchat, Kik and TikTok. 

Operation Arkstone resulted in the arrest of 26 people (pictured) in the country’s largest stong of its type

Acting sergeant Veltmeyer said the international ring would had group chats where they discussed their crimes and shared sick photos and videos.

‘Up to 50 people who were able to discuss horrendous crimes. What they wanted to or had done to children, images of bestiality and self-produced child abuse material,’ he said.

Shortly after the discovery of the USB stick, investigators identified Harden and worked through the night in a ‘race’ to find and arrest him. 

He later pleaded guilty to abusing seven different boys with hundreds of videos of his crimes shared with other member of the syndicate.

The court heard he would solicit abuse material online using the moniker Baddad03. 

He was sentenced to at least 30 years jail on May 13. 

AFP officers were given a lead by US investigators which helped to make the arrests (pictured) and save 56 children 

AFP investigators worked throughout the night in a ‘race’ to arrest Harden (pictured) before he committed more abuse 

Others arrested in the bust include Timothy Doyle who is awaiting sentencing after he plead guilty to a number of charges including sex with a person between 14 and 16.

His partner Steven Garrad is also awaiting sentencing after he also pleaded guilty to charges including sex with a child under 10.  

Acting sergeant Veltmeyer said the AFP was actively putting large resources into pursuing paedophiles.

‘Our investigators are relentless in their pursuit of anyone producing, sharing or accessing child abuse material and we will continue to work with our domestic and international partners to bring these perpetrators to justice,’ he said.