A cross-border case
Pedro* uses the anonymity of the internet to blackmail young people. He persuades them to send him photos with sexual content and then uses the pictures to extort money from them. There are no limits on the dark side of social media, or so Pedro thinks.
Pedro is in his mid-20s and still lives with his parents in the Mittelland. He spends a lot of time on social media, making online friends, often with teenagers. He encourages these young people to send him photographs of themselves – explicit photos. He later threatens to publish the photos – and demands more pictures from his victims if the images are to remain private.
Pedro makes good on his threats and publishes some of the photos online. Outraged users report this to the platform operators (e.g. Facebook and TikTok). And they forward the reports to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) in the USA. From there, fedpol also receives reports of images with potentially illegal content. fedpol checks the reports and forwards them to the local cantonal police, as the offences in question fall under cantonal jurisdiction.
«Sextortion targets the most private aspect of its victim’s lives. Time and again, we also deal with cases where young people threaten to harm themselves if their photos are published. Our work helps to convict offenders and protect victims.»
Monika, police specialist in cybercrime
Pedro doesn’t realise any of this. He treats himself to a holiday abroad. And continues from there, contacting his online friends and threatening them. This results in more NCMEC reports: now Pedro has come to the attention of law enforcement agencies at the holiday resort. They search his holiday apartment and seize evidence that proves Pedro is up to no good. Shortly after he returns to Switzerland, an international police request for information and further enquiries arrives from his holiday destination; the investigation in Switzerland now gathers more pace. It reveals that Pedro has been putting out feelers all around the world. Pedro’s victims are spread around the globe. fedpol asks its partner authorities abroad for support and coordinates the flow of information between the cantonal police forces in Switzerland.
The international police operation is the beginning of the end for Pedro’s life of crime. The canton responsible for the case is making decisive progress thanks to the exchange of information. The case shows how important cross-border police cooperation is for success in the fight against digitalised crime. However, the case also highlights the global challenges and the need for effective international police work in a digitally networked world.
* Name changed