Spanish police arrest 66 people in child pornography sweep

Spanish police investigating a child pornography ring have arrested 66 people and seized computer hard drives containing 48 million photographs and video images.

The nationwide sweep came after a 10-month investigation, code-named "Operation Penalty," that was coordinated with Interpol and began with information supplied by the Germany police, the Interior Ministry said. The ministry statement did not say when the raids were carried out.

Investigators analyzed Web sites where the photographs and video images of children being abused were available and monitored more than 5,000 downloads. That led them to identify 85 suspects, out of which 66 have so far been arrested, the ministry statement said.

One suspect was in possession of 21 external hard drives containing child pornography, the statement said.

Such was the scope of the operation that it required 300 specialist agents, involved 50 courthouses and stretched across 40 of Spain's 57 provinces.