Child protection efforts receive praise from Minister.
Customs' Child Exploitation Operations Team (CEOT) has been commended by Customs Minister Casey Costello for its dedication to combating the sexual exploitation and abuse of children. The specialist team is featured in a new documentary, "Unmasking the Monsters," which airs on TVNZ 1.
The Minister acknowledges the importance of raising public awareness about this crime, highlighting the work of Customs in collaboration with Police, Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), and international partners to stop child exploitation in New Zealand and globally. The team's cross-border role involves tackling online offenders who share or produce child sexual abuse material.
In recent times, Customs has referred over 1,000 reports from overseas alleging online offending by New Zealanders. If you have concerns about someone trading in or producing child exploitation images, contact Customs on 0800 WE PROTECT (0800 937 768) or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 anonymously.
The government has showcased its commitment to combating child exploitation with several recent successes, including sentencing a Rotorua man to seven years and three months' imprisonment in August 2024 for sharing child sexual exploitation material. In September 2024, a 23-year-old man was sentenced to three years and two months for possessing, distributing, and exporting objectionable material depicting the sexual abuse of children.
If you know someone who is at risk or being abused, contact Police immediately.