DOCTORS, teachers, scout leaders, care workers and ex-police officers are among 660 people arrested in a massive crackdown on suspected paedophiles.
In an unprecedented six-month operation, 431 children were rescued from the clutches of alleged sex attackers.
Details of the operation were announced yesterday by the National Crime Agency, which co-ordinated investigations and arrests by 45 police forces in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Alleged paedophiles were arrested on suspicion of viewing obscene images of child sex abuse.
The youngsters who have been “safeguarded and protected” did not feature in the images, but were accessible to the suspects.
The NCA said the arrest operation was ongoing. Police have so far searched 833 premises and seized 9,172 devices including computers, tablets and smartphones.
Officers declined to go into detail, but the paedophiles’ alleged activity involved the internet’s so-called “dark web” as well as traditional access.