Netherlands busts ‘made-to-order’ PH child sex gang

THE HAGUE—Dutch police said on Thursday they helped crack a child sex abuse ring in the Philippines offering babies as young as 5 months for “made-to-order” online pedophilia cases.

With the help of Australian officers, a Dutch policeman, who has been specially stationed in Manila to clamp down on child sex tourism, rescued 18 children in recent days offered for online sex shows by their families, police said in a statement.

“Buyers from all over the world, including in the Netherlands, were able to watch children being abused to order” via online chats, the police said.

“They indicated what they wanted to see, agreed on a price and could then watch the abuse directly by webcams.”

Price of a show

In the northern Philippines, five children aged between 5 months and 12 years old were offered for online sex shows by their parents and grandparents.

Prices averaged between 15 euros (P933) and 25 euros a show.

“But the buyers and those offering their children seemed to find abusing children the most normal thing in the world,” said Dutch liaison officer Farid El Hamouti, adding he had been shocked by the ease with which the abuse had been carried out.

Information gathered about those paying for the services has been shared with the authorities of the countries in which they live, the Dutch police added.