17 arrests in Canada linked to international paedophile network

Canadian police have announced the arrest of 17 people linked to an international network of child pornography spread across 16 countries.

The arrests were made as part of "Project Hydra", running since Canadian police found child porn being uploaded to the internet from a computer located in York near Toronto in April 2014, Efe news agency reported.

Images on that computer were being uploaded to a social network unknown to authorities, which was used to share content around the world, Canadian police said in a press conference on Wednesday.

The police also revealed that the person alleged to have uploaded those images was herself a victim and was being forced to share her photos.

York's Regional Police Inspector Tim Kelly said the investigation eventually extended to 16 other countries, from Australia to South America to Europe, where in Spain alone authorities made 26 further arrests.

Authorities have identified 19 victims aged between nine and 15, including two located in Canada.