Data shows upswing in child exploitation cases

Homeland Security investigators who uncover child exploitation initiated more than 4,000 cases around the world in the 2019 budget year, resulting in thousands of arrests and the identification of more than 1,000 victims, according to new data obtained by The Associated Press.

Their caseloads are growing because of the ease with which offenders can post graphic images of children online.

"With the dark web on there, the content is becoming more prevalent and more horrific," said Matt Wright, the chief for the Child Exploitation Investigations Unit at Homeland Security Investigations.

HSI is a division of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement tasked with investigations, not immigration enforcement. Agents work on probes involving money, drug smuggling or child sex trafficking.

"While we are within ICE, our primary function is as criminal investigators," said Joanna Ip, assistant director of the agency's cyber division, which oversees the unit working on combating child exploitation.

"We do criminal investigations with customs and immigration authorities anything that comes in and out of the border."