International operation locates 147 child victims of sexual exploitation

During the 19th International Working Group for the Identification of Victims of Child Sexual Exploitation (VIDTF), held from September 7 to 18 at Europol headquarters in The Hague, 147 children were geographically located worldwide. The operation involved experts from 28 countries, alongside representatives from Europol and Interpol. During the two-week period, 377 datasets, including photographs and videos, were analyzed to identify victims and perpetrators.

Serbian Minister of Internal Affairs Ivica Dačić noted that the identification process is among the most complex and psychologically demanding tasks in fighting high-tech crime. Experts analyzed minute details in footage, such as objects, landscapes, and language, to trace identities. Since Europol began organizing these groups in 2014, the initiative has led to the identification of 1,260 victims and the arrest of 348 perpetrators.

Separately, Serbia marked the Day of the Emergency Situations Sector with ceremonies in Belgrade and Subotica. The sector, established in 2009, has responded to nearly 560,000 interventions and saved 33,897 people. Officials emphasized the need for increased investment in personnel and equipment to combat increasingly extreme weather-related emergencies.