Man arrested for spreading child pornography online

Sharjah: A man was arrested by the Central Investigation Department (CID) after Sharjah police confirmed that he has been sharing and distributing files and images of child pornography online.

The man, Simon T.D from India was tracked down by the police after they received information confirming that a man was distributing prohibited material through an online file sharing website called P2P.

The offender was using the internet without the least regard to the laws and regulations prohibiting the circulation of such offensive material.

Police quickly formed an investigation team to locate the offender’s location, who was found at his apartment located in the Al Muwalieh area in Sharjah. Police arrested the offender at his apartment which was searched for prohibited images and material. The police confiscated his laptop and hard drive for further investigation.

The confiscated items contained saved material that confirmed his illegal internet activities.

In light of the incident, Sharjah Police have warned the public to refrain from sharing or distributing any suspicious images, movies or files online.

Meanwhile Police in Abu Dhabi also has warned both citizens and residents against falling prey to cyber fraud and extortion, urging them to avoid disclosing their personal information and bank account numbers and not to fall for misleading ads on particular sites on the web.

As part of an awareness-raising initiative aimed at combating cybercrimes, Abu Dhabi police (ADP) also urged community members to exercise caution when using social networking sites and refrain from sharing personal data or photos. Furthermore, ADP noted that cybercrimes in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi are still not as dangerous and widespread compared to other global cities. It indicated that cybercrimes can be curtailed through concerted efforts with individuals; and community awareness is the first line of defence in addressing these negative issues.

Colonel Dr. Rashid Mohammad Borshid, Head of the (CID), stressed the need to be wary of advertising sites that mislead shoppers. He warned community members against the negative aspects of online dating; urging them to be cautious and refrain from sharing personal data or photos on these sites. Moreover, he pointed out that a new federal law has been enacted to prevent the use of these sites for defamation, threat, extortion, and spreading rumours.

He also indicated that users of social networking sites reveal too many personal details while chatting with strangers, which makes them easy targets for hackers — who steal their files and download their pictures and videos to extort money from them.

— With inputs by Mayada Al Askari, Staff Reporter